Trust and Betrayal
by DreamWeaver619
Summary: Renkotsu and Jakotsu learn the hard way that too much sake, dirty talk and after battle lust can be a bad mix, particularly when the love of your life finds you naked in a closet with someone else. BanJak SuiRen
1. Chapter 1

**Trust & Betrayal**

By VegaSailor & Kirayasha

_Authors' notes: the following is based on an rp of ours. And I highly recommend you read the one-shot "Tears on the Sand" for a more indepth look at the relationship between Renkotsu and Suikotsu._

FYI: The name "Ren" is of course used as a nickname/shortened form of his name for Renkotsu by the other Shichinintai. However, "Ren" can also be a girl's name that means "water lily…"

**Part One: Curiosity…**

Renkotsu sat in the shadows of the inn's low veranda, partially screened from view by the lacy red maple that grew in the courtyard. His attention was drawn to his fellow Shichinintai, who were sitting on a bench, feeding each other plums. While his leader, Bankotsu, had his back to him, Renkotsu could clearly see his paramour, Jakotsu, pouting like a girl. He wished he could hear what they were saying, but any words were lost in the soft tinkling of the courtyard's fountain. So he had to content himself with watching and imagining what they were saying, and with a little pang of jealousy he wished he could have as easy and carefree a relationship with Suikotsu. The fire breather closed his eyes and leaned against the wooden beam which held up the roof over the veranda. He dozed off in a light daydream-like sleep, imagining it was he and Suikotsu who were enjoying an intimate moment in the garden, when a loud creak brought him clearly back to reality.

"Ren, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there," Bankotsu said as he stood on the veranda looking down at his second-in-command. "I feel bad I woke you, as you looked like you were having such a pleasant dream." At Renkotsu's puzzled look, he added, "You were smiling and mumbling something that sounded like 'Sweetheart.'"

Renkotsu felt his cheeks heating up and he was glad to have the cover of the shadows. "I wouldn't know as I don't remember what I was dreaming about…"

Bankotsu smiled knowingly at him, before telling him he would see him later. Renkotsu nodded and watched his leader enter the inn. He could see it was taking a lot out of Bankotsu just to move and he wondered how badly he was injured in the previous day's battle. He turned towards the garden and saw Jakotsu was still sitting there, daintily eating a plum. There was something about the fey misogynist member of the Shichinintai that was so feminine yet so masculine at the same time that Renkotsu thought he was like the living embodiment of yin and yang; male and female. He watched as Jakotsu sat there demurely, occasionally flirting with a passing male guest; coyly resisting their advances, as he encouraged them.

Renkotsu debated with himself over whether or not to go over to Jakotsu and spend the late afternoon with him. He was bored out of his mind from the inactivity not to mention a bit lonely as Suikotsu was fast asleep. The claw-bearer needed the downtime to recover from the effects of their latest mission as well as some respite from the care of his fellow team members. The others were also busy, recovering from their injuries or taking in the local sights. Since Renkotsu was nursing an injured leg, he could not go along with Ginkotsu and Mukotsu while they explored the city. He tried whiling away the hours by drinking sake, but even that got boring as Renkotsu hated to drink alone. So he had spent most of the afternoon daydreaming, and engaging in some harmless voyeurism as he watched his fellow team members, or more accurately the most flamboyant team member of the seven.

There was something about Jakotsu that intrigued Renkotsu on the one hand, and thoroughly repulsed him on the other. The fire breather found his dual nature to be fascinating as he could not for the life of him figure out why someone who so obviously wanted to be a girl hated them so much, and he figured the poor thing probably was mad at being reincarnated as a man after spending so many other lifetimes as a woman. Sighing softly, Renkotsu decided that he may as well go over there and see if he could share a drink or two with him as he had nothing better to do and if he learned a little bit about Jakotsu, all the better. Grabbing the large sake jug by its rope handle, he painfully dragged himself to his feet and shuffled over to him.

"Hey, Jak!" Renkotsu called out as he lurched over to him, eliciting an angry stare from Jakotsu's latest admirer.

"Ren… is every alright?" Jakotsu said sweetly, before turning to his admirer and sending him away. "Sit down, before you hurt yourself again. I don't want Sui giving me hell because you went and injured your leg again." The misogynist patted the bench as he smiled. "Oooh! I see you brought some sake with you!" Suddenly getting serious, he said, "Is the leg hurting that badly? I can go get Sui if you need him."

Renkotsu shook his head, "No. I just didn't want to drink alone, and since you also seemed to have nothing to do…"

Jakotsu eyed him narrowly, "How'd you know that?" He laughed. "Don't tell me you were spying on me! I knew you liked me!" He giggled and eyed the fire breather saucily. "So are you going to pour or should I?"

"It had better be me, with your arms I doubt you could lift the jug," Renkotsu chuckled.

Jakotsu let his tart reply die on his lips, before sweetly replying, "Okay, you pour then." He held up his cup and Renkotsu carefully filled it to the brim, before filling his own cup. Jakotsu waited until Renkotsu was ready, and as they caught each other's eyes, the two of them chorused, "Kampai!"

They sat there drinking, and after awhile a long companionable silence stretched between them as the alcohol made it way to their brains.

Renkotsu filled their cups again. He looked at Jakotsu, studying his profile. When Jakotsu turned towards him, he could see a touch of sadness to his eyes, prompting him to ask, "So what were you and Oo-Aniki talking about?"

Jakotsu smiled impishly. "Nothing special…" he said as his smile took on a more seductive edge, "Just what we'd like to do to each other when everyone's asleep. Why?"

Renkotsu flushed deeply, embarrassed to be caught spying, and yet, he was also curious about his leader and his paramour, mainly because Jakotsu always seemed so lusty after a battle. Looking away to cover up his discomfiture, he shrugged and said, "Merely a passing interest…" He took another sip of his sake as Jakotsu pondered his reply.

Jakotsu, smiling graciously at Renkotsu, asked, "So what do you and Sui like to do when you're alone?" The cross-dressing member of the Shichinintai daintily sipped his sake while he waited for a reply.

Renkotsu looked at him and shrugged. He watched Jakotsu chew on his lower lip, and taking another sip of his sake, he replied, "Uh… we talk a lot about nothing in particular and sometimes we play go. Sui is rather good at it too."

"I'll bet!" Jakotsu interrupted.

"It's true." He drained his cup, and after refilling his own, he also filled Jakotsu's when he held it out to him.

"Thank you…"

"You're welcome…"

Jakotsu took another sip and decided to pursue their conversation, "That's it? That's all you two do together?" He blinked in surprise. "I thought the two of you were in love…?" he said, quirking an eyebrow at the fire breather.

Renkotsu swallowed his sake as he thought about it. "Well, we also do our various activities together. He'll work on his herbs or sharpen his claws and I'll either sketch or fix things. I suppose we could do those things on our own, as it would be more convenient that way, but we kinda like each other's company…"

Jakotsu looked at him in surprise. Giggling, he said, "But haven't you wanted to do more than that?" He shot the fire breather a thoughtful look over the top of his sake cup. "Or could it be you don't know how?" Jakotsu smiled inwardly at Renkotsu's guilty look of surprise. For the first time in his life Jakotsu saw he was the one who was knowledgeable about something and he was pleased he finally had the upper hand in things when it came to Renkotsu. And the fact that he was feeling anxious over Bankotsu and their inability at the moment to engage in sex, due to their leader's broken ribs, made him want to pounce all the more on Renkotsu as he needed the physical closeness and release sex gave him after a battle to calm his nerves. Leaning towards him, Jakotsu said offhandedly, "It's no different than being with a woman…"

Renkotsu looked away, somewhat annoyed, "Well, we've kissed and stuff, if that's what you mean."

Jakotsu giggled again. "Really…? You two kissed and held hands," he said, sounding like a young girl, before his voice dropped to a seductive purr. "Or did you feel each other up?" He licked his lips, and raising his cup, he drained it. "I'm empty…" he said, holding his cup out to Renkotsu who was busy refilling his own cup.

Renkotsu sighed as he gave the little cross-dresser another refill and said "A little of both from time to time if you must know."

"How sweet!" Jakotsu sipped his sake and smiled saucily at Renkotsu. "But haven't you longed for something more… physical?" He looked Renkotsu in the eye and he licked his lips as he leaned closer to him.

Renkotsu took another sip of sake, heaving a mental sigh of relief at the distance his upturned arm put between them. "Besides, we've…" he coughed. "We've done it before if that's what you're getting at."

Jakotsu raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You have…? Then I take it you didn't enjoy it very much …" he said with a sigh.

The two of them drank in companionable silence before Renkotsu decided to break it. Draining his cup, the fire breather took a deep breath and started to explain, "Yeah, we did it." He fell silent as he gathered his thoughts. "Remember that one mission in the forest? Did you ever wonder why it took us so long to get back?"

Jakotsu smiled in anticipation of getting all the gory details. "Yes…?"

"Well…" Renkotsu looked as though he was about to tell Jakotsu more when something made him take another sip of sake. "We did it. And no doubt it was pretty much the same as when you and Ban do it."

Jakotsu took another sip and refilled their cups as he covered up how miffed he felt when Renkotsu glossed over things. "I suppose so, but then you should have enjoyed it…" he sipped his sake. "I always enjoy my 'special time' alone with Ban," he said with a sigh, before having another sip.

Renkotsu, mirroring Jakotsu, also drank. He was starting to feel the warm glow associated with inebriation and it was beginning to loosen his tongue. "It was actually quite painful for us both, so I fail to see where the advantage is to making love to another man."

The little cross-dresser replied, "But it's a good pain, one you don't mind when you love someone, and besides, it gets better the more you do it." He smiled knowingly at the fire breather. "You know, there are things you can do that are just as much fun without all the pain..." Jakotsu giggled softly at the thought of Renkotsu being afraid of a little pain.

Renkotsu eyed the cross-dresser narrowly, clearly annoyed at being laughed at. Taking a huge gulp of sake, he said, "Sui and I have simply decided that we would rather have our tongues shoved down each other's throats than our cocks shoved up each other's arses! Even if you have a high tolerance for pain, why do that if you don't have to?"

Jakotsu, who had been daintily sipping his sake, choked. "Well, I do _that_ because I love him!" he sputtered. "If I were a woman," he spat the word "woman" out as if it left a bad taste in his mouth, prompting Sui to raise an eyebrow at him. "I'd happily spread my legs for him, but thankfully I'm not, so I make-do with what I was given…" He smiled sweetly. "But there are ways, Ren, of pleasuring each other…" he ran his finger slowly down Renkotsu's chest. "Ways, where you won't hurt each other, unless you accidentally bite." Giggling softly, he continued his way down Renkotsu's body with his finger.

Renkotsu watched Jakotsu's finger, concentrating on it, as the cross-dresser trailed it down the length of his torso. His sake fogged brain was vainly trying to decide if he should let Jakotsu continue to wind his way down or grab his wrist and make him stop. _Am I supposed to brush his hand away or not? I can't remember what I'm supposed do…_The fire breather looked at his drinking companion in confusion, one part of him dying to see how far the cross-dresser would go, while the other half was thoroughly outraged at the liberties Jakotsu was taking with him. Renkotsu blinked and looked at him in confusion, "Come again?"

"Cum again? We haven't cum firstly! So how can we cum again?" Jakotsu giggled at the look on Renkotsu's face at his bawdy joke, before continuing, "I said 'there are ways to give pleasure without causing pain…'" He leaned close enough to Renkotsu so that they could easily kiss. Jakotsu was delighted with what he took to be Renkotsu's crude attempts to flirt with him and he wasted no time in letting the fire breather he was eager to let him have his way with him.

Renkotsu looked at his fellow team member as if seeing for the first time. "What are you…?" he asked. The fire breather backed away as if noticing for the first time just how strange Jakotsu was.

Jakotsu, ignoring the distance Renkotsu tried to place between them, frowned. "What am I…?" he asked, leaning even closer to the fire breather. He was curious of Renkotsu's odd behavior as well as touched by his opening up to him. The sake he was drinking also made him feel bolder so he placed a hand on Renkotsu's knee to steady himself, blinking owlishly at the retreating second-in-command. "And where are you going?"

Renkotsu, who was suddenly feeling uncomfortable by Jakotsu's advances, tried one last time to back away from him but promptly fell on his butt as he had run out of room on the bench. Landing with a soft thud, Renkotsu let out little "ooophf…" as he hit the ground.

Jakotsu blinked and peered into the surrounding shadows. "Where'd you go?"

Renkotsu, who had sobered up slightly from the fall, replied, "I fell."

Jakotsu, following the sound of Renkotsu's voice, giggled at the sight of the fire breather sprawled out on the ground. He quickly stood up and helped Renkotsu to his feet, fussing over him as he checked him for signs of damage. "You okay?"

Renkotsu nodded. "I'm fine, but we really should go inside."

"Oooh…" Jakotsu, unable to believe his good luck, smiled seductively at him, "Are you inviting me back to your room…?

Renkotsu let out a little snort of annoyance. "It's getting dark, and we don't want to get caught out here by bandits or other miscreants."

Jakotsu, who did not believe him for a minute, nodded. "Yeah…"

Renkotsu shot his drinking companion a funny look, before picking up the sake jug. He was surprised at how light it had become, and casting a look over his shoulder to Jakotsu, he said, "Coming?" before limping off in the direction of the inn.

Jakotsu stared at him for a few minutes before he noticed he was limping. He was by the second-in-command's side in an instant; taking his arm, and lifting it as he wormed his way under it to support him. Since Renkotsu was much heavier than the wiry cross-dresser, it was several minutes before the two drunken companions could coordinate their efforts enough for Jakotsu to assist him.

"Uh… thanks…" Renkotsu said softly.

"No problem, brothers are supposed to help brothers, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Ummm… Ren, you know you never told me if you wanted to ummm… you know, know how you and Sui can be together painlessly. I know many ways…and I could show you them…" he said flirtatiously.

Renkotsu, intrigued by the possibilities, said, "What ways…?"

"Various things Ren taught me when I was little…"

"Ren?"

Jakotsu laughed. "Yeah 'Ren.' She was the whore I was apprenticed to when I was little. The bitch taught me lots of things and honestly I hated her guts. I used to lie in the futon at night and pray to the gods I'd wake up and find her dead." He sighed angrily. "Damn, how I hated that bitch. The best time I ever had in my life, aside from meeting Ban, was beating the shit out of her." He smiled ruefully at Renkotsu. "Don't be so shocked, Ren. She deserved it; stupid bitch actually slapped me when I cried myself to sleep after my first time… Now that was pain, as I didn't know what to expect, and my client had slapped me round too for crying which made it all the more unbearable when Ren later hit me…."

Suikotsu shivered at the coldness he saw on his fellow team member's face. "Jak…?" he said tentatively, unsure of what to say, when Jakotsu suddenly brightened.

"But I showed her. I let all of her abuse pile up like it meant nothing to me until the day I was big enough to do something about it…" he said nastily. "And then Ban came into my life and I walked away from all that and never looked back." He smiled and lifted his shoulder in slight shrug. "In fact I never gave her much thought until now…" He laughed and Renkotsu oddly found himself laughing along with him. "Hmmm…So where can we go? Oo-aniki-chan is sleeping in our room. And besides, Sui said I'm not supposed to bother him…"

Renkotsu frowned. "Sui is asleep in our room too..." The fire breather sighed, annoyed that now that his curiosity was aroused it seemed as though there was no way to satisfy it.

"Come!" Jakotsu guided Renkotsu to a small door.

"Where're we going?" Renkotsu asked as the shoji Jakotsu was urging him towards looked as though it led to nowhere.

"I don't know; let's just see where it goes. Maybe it leads to another room."

Renkotsu looked down at the cross-dresser as though he just sprouted another head, but he went along with him none-the-less. He was tired from all the sake, and limping around with Jakotsu was proving to be harder on his leg than he thought it would be. Praying that the door actually led to a room, he quietly entered it with Jakotsu.

**Part Two: The art of seduction…**

"Damn! It seems to be a large closet of sorts…" Jakotsu said, as he moved away from Renkotsu.

"How can you tell?"

"I think the bedding…" He giggled." Is a dead give away."

Renkotsu laughed. "Are sure this isn't someone's room?"

"Positive as the bedding's very high off the ground for one thing, and there's a lot of it…" He turned to face Renkotsu. "Give me a bit and I'll make it all nice and comfortable…" Turning back to the rows of bedding stacked on shelves along the wall, Jakotsu pulled out what he hoped was a futon. Giggling softly to himself, when he guessed correctly, the cross-dresser eagerly unrolled the futon, before hunting around for some floor cushions, while Renkotsu watched from the shadows of the doorway.

"Close the shoji; I've found some candles…Now how to light them…?" Jakotsu said, trailing off softly to himself.

"Give them to me," Renkotsu said. Sticking out his hand, he waited while Jakotsu hurried over to him and handed them over. Renkotsu let out tiny cough and the first candle was lit, making it a simple matter to light the others off of it. The fire breather watched his fellow team member fuss around the storage room, arranging things in a way that seemed conducive for sleeping off the effects of the sake. Had he been more sober, he would have seen it for what it was; a love nest.

When he finished arranging things to his satisfaction, Jakotsu quickly helped Renkotsu get comfortable. "How's your leg feeling now?"

"I'd tell you but I can't really feel it…" Renkotsu chuckled. "I'm sure I'll know all about it in the morning, though…" He leaned forward and rubbed his calf.

Jakotsu nodded. "Umm… why don't you have a little more and then maybe your hangover will be worse than the leg." The two of them laughed. "Damn! You forgot to bring the cups!"

"Me? I thought you were going to do that!"

"Hmmm… I guess we'll have to share, right?"

Renkotsu sighed. "Yeah… You can go first. It should be light enough for you to lift now."

Jakotsu made a little face. "I'm stronger than you think I am! Besides, who do you think helped carry you in here?" he smirked.

"You did, you freaky lil girl," Renkotsu said. "And don't drink it all!"

"How many times to do I have to tell you, I'm not a freaky lil girl!" Jakotsu stuck his tongue out at Renkotsu. "Besides, I promise I'll leave you some," he said sweetly.

"I don't know," Renkotsu said, reaching out and trying to grab the sake jug away from Jakotsu. "And hand that over before you forget and drink it all. The last thing I want is to be stuck in here with some freaky lil girl who's drunk off her ass…" he teased.

"Keep that up and I won't tell you…" Jakotsu warned, handing the jug over.

"Sorry…I can't help it; you look like a girl. But if it bothers you so much, then why do it?"

"Do what?"

"Dress and act like a girl?"

"I dress this way because I like it. You know, Oo-Aniki-chan said he was going to buy me a hundred silk kimono when we retire and give this all up…" he lapsed into silence as he thought it over. "And I act this way because sadly, that's how you men want me to act. Deep down in your hearts, no matter how much you say otherwise, you still want a woman to lie with… so, I become that woman for you…" He looked at Renkotsu sadly. "Even Oo-Aniki-chan wants a woman to lie with…"

"I'm sure it's you Oo-Aniki really wants."

"You think…?"

"Yeah, I think. Now what was it you were going to show me?"

"This…" Jakotsu said softly. He reached out and took Renkotsu's face in his hands, and bringing his closer, Jakotsu kissed him, taking the fire breather by surprise.

Renkotsu's first impulse was to push him away, but the thought of learning something interesting as well as the thrill he got from kissing his leader's paramour, relaxed him just enough to throw his arms around Jakotsu.

"You like it, hunh?" Jakotsu whispered teasingly in Renkotsu's ear. He quickly trailed a line of little kisses along the fire breather's jaw line, before Renkotsu captured Jakotsu's lips with his own. They kissed, slowly deepening it as Renkotsu threw his better judgment carelessly away and the fact that the little cross-dresser had let his hands wander had also added to the moment.

"I knew you liked me…" Jakotsu said softly, "Which is why I agreed to teach you what I know…" He had somehow wound up straddling Renkotsu's hips, cradling his fellow team member's head against his chest. "I'm going to tell you some things that are important, so pay attention, Ren…"

"Okay…"

"The most important thing to remember is always to swallow no matter how bad it tastes… and it will taste bad or at least funny, depending on what you ate or if you're feeling adventurous and drip honey all over it…" Jakotsu chuckled. "The second thing I want you to remember is not to gag. That's very bad and almost as bad as not swallowing. After awhile you'll know when Sui's ready so you'll be prepared…"

"Gag…?"

"Sssh... I said you have to pay attention to what I say! I'll show you afterwards, and I want to see if you've paid attention too…"

"What the hell are you talking about…?"

"Sssh… you'll know soon enough…." Jakotsu said as Renkotsu sighed softly. Leaning over, he blew out the candles.

"Whatchu do that for?"

Jakotsu sighed. "It's better in the dark as that way you can imagine I'm Sui… and don't worry; it's not the first time anyone's imagined I'm someone else and I'm sure it won't be the last…"

"Oh…" Renkotsu said softly. He was dying to know what the little cross-dresser was talking about. The funny thing was a part of him knew exactly what Jakotsu was hinting at, and had he been sober, he would have beaten the shit out of him for suggesting it. But the thought of doing something with Jakotsu that before only their leader had experienced, not to mention the various other men he had entertained, was something Renkotsu could not pass up. Only then would he have everything Bankotsu had.

Jakotsu tugged on Renkotsu's kimono, pulling the fire breather from his reverie. "What are you doing…?"

"Nothing…"

Renkotsu snorted in amusement and let go of Jakotsu just long enough to untie his obi and tug his kimono free of his hakama. "Damn your ass is boney!" he said as he shifted Jakotsu to a more comfortable position on his lap.

"That's what Aniki-chan always says!" He laughed. "Much better…" Jakotsu purred as he trailed a line of kisses down Renkotsu's neck and collarbone. He was slowly shifting his weight and easing Renkotsu onto his back as he did so. Once he had the fire breather where he wanted him, he opened his kimono and proceeded to suck on one nipple as he played with the other.

"What the fuck are you doing!" Renkotsu called out in surprise as he tried to push his fellow team member off of him.

"Nothing… just relax and pay attention…" Jakotsu murmured as if what he was doing was no big deal.

"It doesn't feel like nothing."

"Shut up or you can forget about it…"

Renkotsu grumbled wordlessly and it was several long tense minutes before he relaxed enough to enjoy what Jakotsu was doing.

"Is that all? If it is, I already know about that stuff…"

Jakotsu stopped what he was doing and sighed. Sitting up, he grabbed Renkotsu's hand. Lifting it to his lips, he sucked on the fire breather's forefinger suggestively. "I was leading up to that…"

"Oooh…" Renkotsu swallowed. "I know about that too, but we agreed not to engage in such pursuits."

Jakotsu laughed. "Afraid of biting each other, hunh?"

"No! It's just… rather unpleasant, that's all."

Jakotsu snorted derisively. "You two are worse than a couple of old nuns who never saw any action! No wonder you're quite satisfied sitting around doing nothing. I would rather be dead than live my life like that."

"That can be arranged…"

"Ummm… yeah," he tittered nervously, afraid that Ren would tell him to go fuck off, leaving him to take care of his needs by himself. "Well, why don't you let me show how to do it properly for now and once you get the hang of it and are thoroughly enjoying yourselves, I'll let you know how to make it even better."

Renkotsu thought it over. He had to admit Jakotsu was good at what he was doing so far and the little taste he just had of "something more" made him give in. "Okay… go ahead and teach me, Sensei…"

"OOOH, Sensei, hunh? I like that!"

"I figured you would. Now shut up and start teaching. The more I lie here the more tired I get and the futon is starting to spin too…"

"My, my, my… what an impatient student you are! Well, if you insist, who am I-"

"Shut up, Jak!"

"Fine!" Jakotsu leaned forward and after a few minutes, he settled in and picked up where he had left off. The cross-dresser made his way slowly down Ren's torso, enjoying the sight and feel of his well developed musculature. The fire breather was broad-shouldered like Jakotsu, but where as the cross-dresser was lean and wiry, Renkotsu looked as though he was well fed. Working in the blacksmith's shop had helped to hone his build and since it was rather prosperous, Renkotsu never had to miss a meal. He was also smart and educated, as his early childhood had been spent in a monastery, something the illiterate Jakotsu found attractive even though it rankled at the same time.

Sighing softly, Jakotsu tugged at the ties of Renkotsu's hakama. He knew the fire breather was aroused by his love-play and it was hard for the cross-dresser to slow down and treat Renkotsu like a shy virgin; when the fire breather surprised him, by reaching down to untie it himself. After some chuckling and giggling on both their parts, Renkotsu was lying there naked, much to Jakotsu's delight. Carefully inching closer, the former bathhouse whore pushed his way between the other man's legs and gently took hold of his erection. Jakotsu playfully stroked it, giggling softly when Renkotsu moaned in response. He would occasionally flick his tongue across the tip, gently teasing the fire breather. It was not long before he had Renkotsu thoroughly enjoying the moment enough to finally engulf him with his mouth.

Jakotsu decided to give the fire breather his all and treat him in much the same way he would Bankotsu if he were enjoying a bit of fun with him. So he gently bobbed his head up and down, using his lips to simulate a woman's opening, and flicking his tongue across the areas he knew that would give the most pleasure. What he had not counted on was Renkotsu's quick release and he swallowed his anger along with his semen. "Well…?"

"That was…incredible…different… I don't know…" Renkotsu said softly. Rubbing his hand over his face, he asked, "You do this all the time with Ban?"

"No, we do other things you're too pure to do. And usually Ban does that to me, if you must know. I only do that to get him started… Now it's your turn!"

"Hunh? I don't know…"

"What do you mean you don't know! You have to! Look what you did!" Jakotsu sat up and shrugged out of his kimono. Renkotsu was startled to see the cross-dresser had been naked like a woman underneath his clothes, but what was even more startling was his erection as the fire breather never imagined he would get aroused while teaching him.

"But I'm tired… can't it wait until morning?"

"No! I mean I want to make sure you've remembered everything I taught you," Jakotsu replied in what he hoped was a reasonable tone of voice.

Renkotsu sighed. "Fine… but I can't guarantee how good it'll be cuz I'm dead tired." _Plus I don't think this was such a great idea after all…_

"Oh, I'm sure you'll do just fine." _I hope…_"I mean you had me teaching you!" _I wish you'd hurry up as I'm starting to get tired too…_

"Yeah, yeah, yeah… you talk too much! And you're one freaky lil girl…" Renkotsu muttered as he looked down at Jakotsu's crotch.

The cross-dresser heaved a long suffering sigh. "That's because I'm not a freaky lil girl, Ren, I'm a man! And I have something I'd like you to take care of for me…" he purred, and taking Renkotsu's hand, he placed it over his erection.

"Oh yeah…" Renkotsu laughed tiredly. "Are you sure this can't wait until morning…?"_ Because I don't think I want to do this…_

"No!"

Renkotsu shrugged and pushed Jakotsu none too gently onto his back, prompting the cross-dresser to cry out, "OOOH! I had no idea you liked it rough!"

"Shut the hell up already! I'm getting tired of hearing your stupid comments and whining about this, that, and the next thing! If you don't shut up, you can forget it! Understood?"

Jakotsu, pouting, nodded silently and he was sorry he did that as the futon started to take on a rather unpleasant spin. And his annoyance with Renkotsu made it hard for him to enjoy himself. He had to call on all of his training in the bathhouse just to feign pleasure. Rolling his eyes, when the fire breather refused to allow him to kiss him more deeply, Jakotsu sighed, before closing his eyes. He hoped he would not fall asleep as he was frightened of what Renkotsu would do to him if he did. So he did what he always did when faced with a lover of Renkotsu's abilities, he thought about everything else under the sun except what was going on.

It was not long before it mercifully ended for both. Jakotsu opened his eyes and was about to thank Renkotsu and tell him what a good job he did, despite the fact that Renkotsu had bit him more times that he cared to remember, when he caught the look on the fire breather's face.

Renkotsu sat up, a look of panic on his face, as he tried vainly to swallow his mouthful. The trouble was the taste combined with all the sake he had drunk over the course of the evening had made his stomach rebel. There was no way he would be able to swallow without gagging and Jakotsu said a silent prayer that Renkotsu would not get sick all over him. Hiking up on his elbows, and scooting away from Renkotsu, Jakotsu grabbed the nearly empty sake jug and thrust it at the fire breather.

Renkotsu practically ripped the jug from the cross-dresser's hands and shot him a grateful look, before emptying his stomach contents into it.

Jakotsu sat there with his eyes closed, vainly trying to ignore the retching sounds. He had the horrible feeling that Renkotsu had consumed too much sake for his own good; a notion that was later confirmed when he heard the fire breather softly blubbering about being sorry. "It's alright; I wasn't all that great the first time I did it…"

Renkotsu looked at him like he had three heads. "I wasn't talking to you, Asshole. I meant Sui is going to kill me when he finds out."

Jakotsu rolled his eyes and immediately regretted it. "Wait a minute; you two go whoring all the time, right? So why is this a big deal when that isn't? And why are you looking at me with one eye open?"

"Because one of you is bad enough, without having to look at the two of you…" Renkotsu laughed tiredly.

"Well, you don't see me complaining about the two of you!"

"Oh yeah… But trust me it's different."

"Why?"

"Because! It just is!"

"Okay… But, you know, you don't have to tell him about it… You think half my old clients went home and told their wives about what we did?" Jakotsu said as he scooted over to sit next to the fire breather. He reached up and patted Renkotsu on the back. "I've got news for you, they hadn't because if they had, I'd have had the pleasure of meeting a lot more wives than I have…"

Renkotsu looked over at Jakotsu as he thought it over. "You sure…?"

"Yes! It's not like you did anything wrong! All we did was suck each other off. It's not like I plowed your virgin ass or you plowed mine..." Jakotsu laughed. "So quit worrying, and hand me that." He pointed to the sake jug. "I'm going to put that outside as the smell is making me sick… And then I think we should go to sleep."

"Shit!" the fire breather swore as he handed over the jug. "Where the hell are my clothes!"

"They're somewhere in here, but I think you should just stay here and sleep it off. If you go stumbling back to Sui now, you're going to spill your guts and the two of us are going to wind up dead, or wishing we were dead…" Jakotsu lurched to feet and carried the soiled jug to the door. Sliding the shoji back, he set it just outside before closing it. Sighing softly, he let his eyes readjust to the dark, before heading back to the futon.

"If you so much as lay a finger on me during the night, I swear I'll borrow Sui's claws and gut you myself."

"Yeah, yeah! Goodnight to you too, Ren," Jakotsu said as he lay down next the fire breather. He rolled over onto his side, facing away from him and drifted off to the soft sounds of Renkotsu's snoring.

8888

Hello. I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter of a collaboration between myself (Vega Sailor) and my wonderful friend Kirayasha.

In the Next Chapter:

_Suikotsu stood there stiffly, holding himself back from ripping their throats out. "Ah… I see you finally noticed I'm here, well I hope you two will be very happy together," he choked out, before turning on his heel and leaving..._

Please Read and Review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Trust and Betrayal**

**By: VegaSailor and Kira**

**Part 3: Discovery**

Kahiko paused just outside the door leading to the store room. She bent to retrieve the sake jug, frowning in disgust when she discovered its vile contents. "Here, you take care of this," she said as she handed the jug to her friend Gejoya, "While I see about getting some clean bedding."

Gejoya made a face and hurried off to get rid of the jug and Kahiko watched before she turned back to the storeroom. Making a mental note of what she needed to get another room ready for guests, the young chambermaid sighed and slid the shoji back. She peered into the gloomy darkness of the storeroom and walked towards the far wall when her foot hit something soft and yielding, followed by a loud groaning. She looked down and much to her horror, she saw two naked men lying on a futon, entwined in each other's arms. Kahiko stepped back onto the outer veranda, and suddenly finding her voice, she shrieked as though someone were trying to kill her, rousing the inn's nearest guests with her screams.

Mukotsu and Ginkotsu were the first to arrive. Ginkotsu, poised and ready for action, followed the poor chambermaid's outstretched arm and cautiously looked in the storeroom. Chuckling in his peculiar way, Ginkotsu turned and said to Mukotsu, "Uh-oh! Sui and Oo-Aniki aren't going to like this..."

"Aren't going to like what?" Mukotsu asked, temporarily leaving the maid's side to go see what his fellow team member was referring to. Laughing, he said, "Metal is going to fly; I suggest we move out of the danger zone."

Ginkotsu chuckled. "Good idea!"

The two of them ushered the poor hysterical maid away from the scene. They had got about five paces away from the storage room when their leader came running as fast as his broken ribs would allow, the Banryuu delicately balanced on his shoulder despite the searing pain in his chest. Bankotsu was still dressed in his sleeping kimono and the two wondered when Jakotsu had snuck out during the night to meet with Renkotsu. Before either one of them could say anything to their leader, he called out to them, "What's happened? Where's the enemy?! Get that woman out of here!" Bankotsu closed his eyes as a wave of pain passed over him, making it hard to breathe. _Damn these fucking ribs!_

Leaving the woman to the poisoner, Ginkotsu tried to lead him away. "Ummm... nothing's wrong, Oo-Aniki."

Bankotsu did not believe it for a minute. "Nothing's wrong? I just heard someone scream bloody murder and you tell me nothing's wrong?"

Ginkotsu sighed, sounding like an old piece of rusty metal. "Mu accosted a maid, that's all."

"Oh... Well why didn't you say so?" Bankotsu said and as he tried to laugh it off he grimaced in pain. "Oh shit!" he swore as he rubbed his chest, trying to ease the pain he felt.

Suikotsu arrived, claws at the ready. "What's going on?"

"I don't know. Gin says Mu accosted a maid again, but that's odd because I actually saw him leaving with one." Bankotsu frowned as the shallow breaths he was forced to take were starting to hurt too. "All I know is there's something over there they didn't want me to see..." A little stab of fear pierced his heart. "Where's Jak? When you told me to tell him no sex last night, he never came back to my room and that's not like him..."

Suikotsu looked over at Ginkotsu who gave him a slight shake of his head. "Come; let's get you back to your room. I'm sure Jak is probably there now, waiting for you." He moved to lead Bankotsu away. "How's your chest?"

"Feels like Kyo was dancing on it. I was wondering if I could have some of that tea you made me last night, you know, the one you spiked with the hair of the dog." Bankotsu tried to laugh and nearly doubled over with pain.

"Sure, but let me have a quick look to see what all the fuss in the storeroom was," the claw-bearer said softly. He left Bankotsu leaning against the inn's outer wall, and took a quick look into the storeroom. After his eyes had adjusted to the dim interior light, he immediately regretted it. "Oh no..." He stood there, staring down at the naked forms of his would-be lover and his leader's paramour. It was quite obvious from their position as well as the faint odor of stale sex that mixed with the smell of sake what had gone on last night. Suikotsu stood there in shock and it was several minutes before he realized Bankotsu was trying to enter the room.

"What's wrong...?" The diminutive leader staggered his way in and stood next to Suikotsu. A second later his eyes had adjusted well enough to take in the scene below. "FUCKING HELL!" he cried, and grabbing his chest, he pushed his way past the claw-bearer as made his way painfully back to his room.

Suikotsu stood there, hesitant. A part of him wanted to go after Bankotsu, while the other wanted to rip his fellow teammates to shreds. A soft groaning drew his attention to the two at his feet.

"Aniki-chan...?" Jakotsu moaned softly as he gently caressed Renkotsu, thinking it was his lover. "Why's it so bright in here...? And who's knocking on my head...?" He groaned loudly.

Suikotsu, shocked, shook his head as if to clear it. He wanted to look away but could not and the overwhelming mixture of emotions he felt rose until it erupted in a snarl. "WAKE UP!" he shouted.

Jakotsu's eyes flew open as he sat up, but instantly regretted it as the full force of his hangover hit him. "Why are you shouting, Sui? What's wrong with Oo-Aniki-chan?" He turned his attention to his bed partner who was also struggling with his own hangover. The cross-dresser peered at the fire-breather bleary-eyed as it hit him. "You're not Oo-Aniki-chan..."

Renkotsu rubbed his hands over his face as he woke up. "Oh shit!" he moaned, rubbing the back of his head to help clear it. "Would you guys mind keeping it down-" the fire-breather abruptly stopped as he eyed Jakotsu. "Dam it! What the hell are you...and where the fuck are we...?" He looked around, searching for his clothes. "Where the hell are my clothes?" Renkotsu looked up and noticed Suikotsu standing there, a stern expression on his face while his eyes shone with the full force of the hurt and betrayal he was feeling. "Sui..."

The claw-bearer stood there stiffly, holding himself back from ripping their throats out. "Ah... I see you finally noticed I'm here, well I hope you two will be very happy together," he choked out, before turning on his heel and leaving.

Jakotsu watched him leave. He looked over at the fire-breather, confusion written all over his face. "I'm me and you don't have to yell as your voice hurts..." He quickly looked around the room they were in. "It looks like we're in a storage room of sorts..." He crawled over to the pile of clothing and pulled out what he hoped was his kimono. Picking up the rest, he threw it in Renkotsu's general direction. "I think that's yours...And what's Sui so pissed about? What's he mean by 'happy together?' Shit! I mean I did have fun drinking with you last night as I've got the killer hangover to prove it, but I don't think I want to make a habit out of it..." He closed his eyes and gently massaged his temples.

"You idiot! He just caught us naked together! Most people tend to look at that as a sign of an affair," Renkotsu said, as he gathered his clothing together.

"They do? But I always sleep naked except on a mission..." Jakotsu laughed and then winced at the sound. "I must be the world's greatest lover as I've woken up more times than I can remember naked in the futon with someone!" He laughed again, despite the ringing in his head, falling over onto the fire-breather.

"Get off me!!" Renkotsu gave the wiry little cross-dresser a shove. "It's not funny, you stupid whore!" Pulling his kimono from the pile, Renkotsu angrily threw it on. He glared at Jakotsu and when he spoke, his voice was soft and sorrowful as he poured out his frustration over the situation, "We've... I've..." He swallowed. "I've really hurt Suikotsu..."

"How so...?"

"By being a dumb ass and sleeping with you, that's how!" Renkotsu shouted as he stood up and threw on his hakama, before stalking out over the room, leaving a puzzled Jakotsu behind.

**Part 4: The Pain of Forgiveness**

_FYI: The name "Ren" is of course used as a nickname/shortened form of his name for Renkotsu by the other Shichinintai. However, "Ren" can also be a girl's name that means "water lily..."_

Renkotsu swallowed nervously as he walked up to the door of the room he and Suikotsu shared. He stood there trying to think up a thousand apologies for the wrong he had done to the claw-bearer. An image of the look of hurt and betrayal in Suikotsu's eyes flashed through Renkotsu's memory and made his heart feel like a dead weight.

He opened the shoji.

He peered into the room and quickly spotted Suikotsu. It was not hard to do since the claw-bearer was kneeling and using his claws to tear up a wall at the far end of the room growling viciously to himself, "Stupid...little...rude...terrible...not to trust..."

Renkotsu gulped and debated whether to enter or take a walk around the inn and wait for Suikotsu to cool off. The claw-bearer's hair still hung loosely around his shoulders, signaling the violent personality had not yet taken control. He would most likely only get angrier as the day wore on, and might even change personalities and hunt Renkotsu down and take revenge. The fire-breather decided it would be better to get things over with one way or the other now. He entered the room and closed the shoji behind him.

The sound of the door closing attracted Suikotsu's attention. The claw-bearer glared at him with the same look as before only now there was also a fiery rage behind it that made all of the hairs on Renkotsu's body stand on end.

"Fuck off!" The claw bearer snarled, the rage in his eyes growing in intensity. "Oh that's right, I forgot, you're already fucked!"

"Sui...It wasn't..." Renkotsu stumbled, but was cut off when Suikotsu jumped to his feet.

"Wasn't what?! 'Wasn't what it looked like...?!' I know what it looks like! I know what it smells like! And you two were covered in it!" the claw bearer shouted. "What were you thinking?!" Suikotsu suddenly looked panicked. "Do I mean nothing to you!?" The rage was gone from his eyes, leaving only the hurt.

Renkotsu stood paralyzed in shock at what he was seeing and the horrifying realization his intelligence was drawing from it. All three of Suikotsu's personalities had been riled up by this; all three had been hurt and betrayed, because all three of Suikotsu's personalities had loved him. Now they were all awake at the same time, each drifting in and out control. Renkotsu had to calm them quickly. Suikotsu's fragile grasp of sanity was two steps away from shattering like a china vase carelessly dropped on the floor.

"Suikotsu..." Renkotsu reached out a hand to gently cup his comrade's cheek, but the claw-bearer slapped it away, the rage returning to his eyes.

"Don't touch me!" The violent Suikotsu emerged and he circled around Renkotsu the way a predator encircles its prey. "You're mine! Yet you let yourself cater to that little whore!" he shouted as he shoved the fire-breather away from himself into the wall.

"I wanted to learn a painless way to pleasure you!" Renkotsu burst out, not knowing what else to say in this nightmare.

"I never wanted that from you! We never needed it!" the good-extreme side of Suikotsu's tattered mind stared at the fire-breather with sad, pleading eyes that allowed rivers of tears to spill past them. "I thought you knew me! You understood me!"

"Sui...I..." Renkotsu was speechless at how much he had completely misread the situation. Seeing Suikotsu broken and battered like this was horrible, the fact that he had caused it made it unbearable as he slumped against the wall.

"There was one thing my personalities all agreed on: you!" The third Suikotsu narrowed his eyes in anger though none of the sorrow had left them, and the tears kept coming. "It was you!" He lashed out with his claws and embedded them in the wall inches from Renkotsu's head. "I LOVED YOU!"

Renkotsu closed his eyes in an effort to calm himself. He was terribly shaken by how close he had come to death and how much pain he had caused Suikotsu. Now the claw-bearer just stood there, trembling and emitting choked sobs, his head lowered.

"Sui...I know there is nothing I can say to make up for the pain I've caused you," Renkotsu started, his own voice wavering as a lump rose in his throat. "All I can do is try to explain. I...I'm sorry; I was drunk off my ass. I know that's no excuse, but I really wanted to find a way I could comfortably be physical with you. I know there's more to love than just sex... but it is a way to be one with another. I love you Sui, all of you, every last one of you who's hiding in there..." He reached out and gently brushed his fingers against his hurt lover's forehead. This time Suikotsu accepted the touch.

"Kami-sama, help me," Renkotsu pleaded. "My damn brain! Once a question gets into my head, it consumes me... I wanted to see what Bankotsu sees in him, and why he's so hell bent on trying to be something he hates..." The fire-breather took Suikotsu's face in his hands. "Suikotsu, forgive me for my weakness, but if anything, I learned just how special YOU are to me and how I DON'T want to lose you..."

Suikotsu stared at him blankly for a few moments, and jerking his head away from Renkotsu's hands, he removed his claws from the wall. It looked as if he would just walk away when suddenly he collapsed to his knees and wrapped his arms around Renkotsu's waist and buried his head in the fire-breather's abdomen.

"Don't do this again, please don't this again, I can't take it," Suikotsu sobbed. "I don't want to hate you..."

Renkotsu had never felt worse in his life. In one single moment of throwing caution to the wind, he had single handedly reduced Suikotsu to this pathetic, broken state. Not knowing what else to do he curled protectively around his sobbing comrade. "Oh, Kami-sama...What have I done...I wouldn't blame you in the least if you did hate me, Sui... I hate me... I should have never gone over to him. I should have just sat where I was and watched him flirt with everyone who walked past... but noooo, stupid me had to see if he'd turn on the charm with me too... Oh gods... I'm such a shit. I don't deserve your love, Sui..."

Suikotsu's sobs calmed a little now that he was encircled in the warm embrace. "It's too late. You already have it..." he whispered. "Please tell me I still have yours..."

"Of course you do!" Renkotsu lifted up Suikotsu's face to meet his. "I never stopped loving you! I just wanted to know of a special way to show you...and like an idiot I listened to the lil bastard... And I'm sure I could have got the same answer from any other whore..." Suikotsu interrupted him by wrapping his arms around the fire-breather's shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"I know you still do...I just...I just needed to hear it."

Renkotsu hugged Suikotsu tightly and nodded. "I love you very much..." he whispered in Suikotsu's ear.

Suikotsu closed his eyes and relaxed against him. They held their embrace for a long moment, before Suikotsu opened his eyes, but they were not the same eyes they were before he had closed them. His grip on Renkotsu tightened, his nails imbedding in the skin below the kimono's fabric.

In the blink of an eye, Renkotsu found himself forced down on his back on the floor. Suikotsu grinned maliciously down at the fire-breather, who was now pinned beneath him. "I can't believe those other two fools forgave you so quickly. Well, I will make sure you remember who you belong to..."

"Sui, what...?" Renkotsu stared at his comrade in utter shock. The shock turned to horror when he saw the ravenous look in his teammate's eyes. The claw-bearer's hair began to rise and bunch up from the extra energy coursing through his body. The violent personality had completely taken over. "Sui..." Renkotsu tried to continue, but Suikotsu placed a finger over his lips to silence him.

"Now, now. Just sit back and relax." The claw bearer's sneer grew broader and his hands traveled down to the ties holding Renkotsu's hakama together. "And I'll show you the way to my forgiveness. You said it yourself you wanted a more physical relationship." He loosened the ties quickly.

"Shouldn't...Shouldn't we do this later when the others are asleep?" Renkotsu asked, trying to keep his voice as steady as possible.

"Very clever, my little Water Lily, trying to stall me in hopes that my other sides will come back," Suikotsu drawled, his voice sweet like poisoned honey. He shifted his focus back up to Renkotsu's upper body, and his face darkened and his voice grew deadly. "I won't fall for your tricks again." He ripped open the top of Renkotsu's kimono revealing the muscular planes of the fire-breather's chest.

"But the others...If...if we make any loud noises they may come and interrupt us," Renkotsu said quickly.

"You're right, and the pathway to my forgiveness might be a rather loud and painful one," the claw-bearer said thoughtfully as though they were discussing philosophy, then he sneered. "Well, you're just going to have to be strong then." He ran his claws down Renkotsu's torso just lightly enough to not cut the skin. "If you scream like a cowardly pig, then I will gut you like one."

Renkotsu swallowed hard and nodded. "If this is the path to your forgiveness, so be it. Do what you will..."

The sneer on the claw-bearer's face grew broader as he helped free the fire-breather from his kimono. Without warning, the claw bearer flipped him on to his belly and straddled his hips. Renkotsu's heart raced and his breath came in short anxious pants.

"Don't worry...my little water lily..." the claw bearer whispered, trying to sound gentle, but the lust and hunger clearly came forth. "You'll be all right," Suikotsu purred as he rid Renkotsu of his hakama.

Suikotsu ran his hands across the naked form of his would-be lover, careful to not mar the freshly exposed flesh with his claws. There would be time for that later. For now carnal lust was boiling in his blood and it had to be satisfied first and foremost.

Meanwhile Renkotsu lay trembling involuntarily, terrified at what his insane, scorned lover would do. Frantically he tried to remember the steps the monks had used to enter a Zen state where you would lose all conscious feeling in your body. This was all the more amplified when he felt Suikotsu's weight lift off him and he heard the rustle of cloth behind him; Suikotsu was finally ridding himself of the last barrier between himself and the fire-breather.

Every hair on Renkotsu's body stood up on end when he felt Suikotsu's warm body on top of his. In any other circumstance this would have been a welcoming feeling, but now all the fire-breather could feel was terror, all the more magnified when he noticed the claw bearer still had his claws on.

Suikotsu sat back and took hold of Renkotsu's hips to keep them in place. A malicious smirk spread across his face as he made ready to enter.

Renkotsu let out a strangled moan as Suikotsu pushed his thighs apart and penetrated him, none too gently. It was not like that first time when they had taken each other in the forest right after a mission. Then Suikotsu had been very gentle and careful not to hurt him. It was not the case here, the violent soul in Suikotsu's body pounded into his partner not caring if there was pain, in fact it seemed as if the more pain the fire-breather beneath him endured, the better.

Renkotsu gasped and choked in an effort to keep his voice silent. The silent screams translated into stinging tears that slid down his cheeks. A shock of fiery pain radiated through his body with each thrust. It felt as if a stem full of thorns was being shoved inside him again and again and again in a voracious primal rhythm, looking to satisfy its lust as quickly as possible.

_You brought this on yourself, you weak fool,_ Renkotsu reminded himself, trying to focus on anything but the pain. _You deserve it. You had it coming the minute you gave into Jakotsu's advances._

He heard the claw-bearer moan and gasp as the peak of his lust took him. Renkotsu could not keep down the flush of shame as he felt a sticky heat explode inside him.

It was over and Renkotsu let out a sigh of relief after a brief surge of pain when Suikotsu withdrew from him and sagged tiredly over his back. He felt Suikotsu's panting breath against the skin where his neck met his back. Then the claw-bearer leaned forward to his lover's ear and whispered in false gentle tones, "And so you'll never forget..."

The steel claws ran across the skin of the Renkotsu's back, this time cutting deep, opening the flesh so it would never truly heal again. Adding yet another mark of chastisement to the former monk's scarred body.

Suikotsu's hand clapped over Renkotsu's mouth as the fire-breather, despite his best efforts, let out a full cry of pain. The throbbing ache he had felt in his lower body from the claw-bearer's ravaging was nothing compared to the feel of the nerves and muscle in his back being torn asunder. The pain was compounded when Suikotsu ran his tongue over the open wounds, tasting the blood of his lover, which felt like sandpaper on the raw lesions to Renkotsu.

Whether by the shock from the pain or the loss of blood, Renkotsu began to see a black fog cloud his vision as he drifted into unconsciousness. Just before his mind went completely blank, he heard the claw-bearer's deep voice whisper one word of comfort, "Forgiven..."


	3. Chapter 3

-1**Part Five: Lost without you...**

Jakotsu made a face at Renkotsu's retreating form. "Hey! I'm not a stupid whore!! And there's nothing wrong with sleeping with me!" he said peevishly. "Plenty have paid for the experience and you should be pleased I gave it to you for nothing!" He reached over, and grabbing his obi, he wrapped it around his waist. While he was busy tying it, he happened to spot his hairpin over by the wall where it had rolled during the night. Jakotsu picked it up and stuck it in his mouth, before taking his hair and twisting it into a tight coil. Having arranged it to his satisfaction, the cross-dresser stuck the hairpin in, neatly securing it. After giving his hair a couple of quick pats, he left the storeroom without so much as a backwards glance.

He plastered a smile on his face, and nodding pleasantly at some passing guests, Jakotsu made his way to Bankotsu's room. He was not feeling all that well due to his massive hangover and at the last minute he made a quick detour to Suikotsu's room. The cross-dresser was hoping that a little time spent making up with Renkotsu would be enough to curb his temper and that he would be agreeable to giving him a hangover cure. So he slowed his pace down to give his fellow teammates some time alone before intruding.

He stood just outside their door, pretending to count the fingers on one hand before knocking. He had just ticked off his pinky when he heard something that drained the color from his face. Muttering a soft apology to the fire-breather, he spun on his heel and headed back towards his lover's room.

"I wouldn't go there if I was you," Mukotsu called out as the cross-dresser breezed by. 

"Hunh?" Jakotsu paused and looked around for the sound of the voice. He frowned when he spotted the diminutive poisoner, sitting just outside his room, watching the birds in the little courtyard garden. "Why not? And how do you know where I'm going anyway?"

"Because Bankotsu-Oo-Aniki is pissed off at you, that's why. And where else would you be going at this time of morning without your make-up on? You're not damp from a bath; besides, I saw you and Ren in a rather compromising position..." Mukotsu smirked. "Aaah... if only I could be found that way once in my life, although if I were to be found, I'd want a real woman not a cheap imitation," Mukotsu chuckled, although the cross-dresser was not amused, and he showed it by glaring at him and making a rude gesture. "That's what got you trouble in the first place, my friend, so you should be happy that I'm immune to your charms," the tiny poisoner smirked. "But seriously, Jak," his face and tone softened, "If I were you, I'd wait a while for Ban to cool down. Your lil escapade really upset him and in his condition, I'd let him be until, say... after dinner?"

"Fine!" Jakotsu snapped. His head was starting to pound again despite the fact he had been slowly rubbing his temples in order to ward another killer headache.

"I have something that'll fix your headache if you want. Give me a bit and I'll get it for you."

"No thanks. I'll live with the headache, as that way I can be sure of living until dinner..." Having dismissed the diminutive poisoner, he continued on his way.

"Remember, Jak, for Ban's sake if not your own, leave him be and give him some time to cool down..." Mukotsu called out to Jakotsu's retreating form.

The cross-dresser roamed around the inn for a while as he took in the information Mukotsu had given him. His first instinct was that he had lied to him, as he could not for the life of him figure out why spending the night with Renkotsu would upset their leader after running through his head all the times Bankotsu had gone out whoring with the rest of them, leaving Jakotsu to baby-sit Mukotsu and Kyokotsu while the others had a bit of fun. He also thought about all the times Bankotsu had ordered Jakotsu to prostitute himself when they needed information or money and how that seemed to be okay.

_Besides,_ he rationalized, _it's not like I had sex with Ren..._

Unbeknownst to the cross-dresser, his feet had carried him to the very place he was warned to stay away from, the room he was supposed to have shared with Bankotsu. Realizing where he was, Jakotsu sighed as he hesitated just outside the door. He could not hear anything going on in the other room, and yet, something made him stop himself from entering. Sighing softly, he gently laid a hand on the shoji. _Aniki-chan..._

Jakotsu let his hand fall away from the door. Closing his eyes, he turned to leave, having decided to go pay a visit to Suikotsu to see if the good doctor had anything he could give him to stop the pounding in his head. He knew that was a dangerous move on his part as he recalled the sounds coming from the room when he was there earlier, but he decided to chance it, figuring what he had heard was the sound of the two of them engaging in make up sex.

_OOOH, I wonder if Ren showed him what I taught him last night...? If he did, please, sweet Kami-sama, let him do it properly so that he doesn't bite Sui, that way the good doctor will be more than happy to help me with my headache. _

Smiling happily at the thought of something good coming out of this mess, Jakotsu sauntered around the inn one more time, before heading back to Suikotsu's room.

**Part Six: Awakening from the nightmare...**

  
It had taken forever for his violent side to finally recede back into the depths of their mind and sleep, but when he did Suikotsu woke to find himself in a nightmare. There was his beloved Renkotsu lying torn and broken beneath him, his blood tainting the steel claws and the remnants of the violent Suikotsu's rape was still thick in the air and had soaked into the floor mats.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." the innocent Suikotsu whispered as he removed the claws and carefully picked up his ravaged comrade.

With his doctor's expertise he carefully bathed his beloved. His fingers gently probed and cleansed the wounds, making sure they were clear of any infection prone substances, and checking for any other damage to be taken care of. When that was finished, he carefully laid Renkotsu chest down on their futon and pulled a blanket up to his waist where the horrible gashes ended.

After dressing quickly, Suikotsu rummaged through his bag of medicinal herbs and potions and pulled out a container that held a light green jell-like substance. He carefully spread the healing salve on a cloth meant for bandaging the terrible gashes on Renkotsu's back. He hoped it would be enough to relieve some of pain and more importantly help the skin to heal itself.

Suikotsu felt a lump rise in his throat when he saw Renkotsu visibly cringe as he applied the salve and cloth to his wounds. The fire-breather's eyelids twitched and he slowly opened them. His body tensed and fear streaked across his face as his eyes focused on Suikotsu, the memories of what had happened rushing back to his mind.

"Don't worry," Suikotsu whispered in genuine gentleness as he tenderly touched Renkotsu's face. "He's asleep. I won't let him hurt you anymore," Suikotsu choked.

Renkotsu's features relaxed and small tired smile crossed his face as he reached up and placed his hand over Suikotsu's. "Am I forgiven?"

Suikotsu remained silent for moment, trying to confirm his own answer. He knew he and the good doctor side of himself had already forgiven him, but was his vengeful, possessive, violent side finally satiated? Yes. His violent side was no longer sending out vibes of hatred toward Renkotsu, if anything the murder prone personality seemed very satisfied with himself.

_Monster..._

"Yes," Suikotsu finally whispered the answer to Renkotsu's worried question, a tear slipping down his cheek. "You are forgiven. I'm sorry..."

"Why are you apologizing? It was I who wronged you." Renkotsu furrowed his brow in concern at his beloved's weeping.

"You didn't deserve all that. I should have controlled him...But he...I'm so sorry..." The claw-bearer lowered his head, the tears flowing freely now.

Renkotsu slowly and painfully sat up, then wrapped his arms around Suikotsu. "Stop it; you've shed too many tears over me." The fire-breather gently stroked his beloved's hair. "I don't want you weeping anymore."

They remained like that for a long time, when Suikotsu spoke, his voice returning to its normal timbre. "At least now we are on equal footing again. You have something to be guilty about, and I have something to be guilty about."

"But you..."

"Ssh... You've been through a great ordeal. You need to rest so you can heal properly." Suikotsu gently pushed Renkotsu back down to the futon, careful not to aggravate his wounds. "I'm going to get you some more ointment. You rest easy." Suikotsu got up and quietly exited the room.

Renkotsu finally relaxed; and though his body still ached, his mind and heart were at peace. He had just closed his eyes when he heard the shoji open again. "Forget something?" He lifted his head and was surprised to see not Suikotsu standing there, but his partner in the affair, Jakotsu.

The fire-breather painfully pulled himself up and sat back on his heels despite the protest from his injured backside. His back still faced the door, but he turned his head to face his cross-dressing comrade. "What do you want?"


	4. Chapter 4

Part Seven: Begging forgiveness...

It was several long silent minutes before Jakotsu found his voice. "I was ummm... looking for Sui. I was kinda hoping he'd give me something for this headache..."

"Well he's not here."

"Oh..." Jakotsu swallowed. He was shocked to see Renkotsu's torso bandaged and the fact that the bandages were blood-soaked made him regret last night when he realized what went on in here. He knelt and bowed deeply. "I'm soooo sorry, Ren, I...I..." he whispered. 

"Get the hell out of here and leave me the fuck alone! You've caused enough trouble to last me a lifetime!"

"I'm sorry," the cross-dresser repeated over and over again. He was bent over, his forehead touching the floor as he whispered his apology on the top his hands.

"I said get the fuck out of here, Jakotsu!"

"I'm sooo sorry, Ren... Please forgive me... I didn't think..."

"That's your goddamned problem! You don't think! You just do what you please and fuck everyone else. Now get the hell out of here! What fucking part of that don't you understand? I said leave!"

"Okay...okay..." Jakotsu whispered. As he sat up, he noticed for the first time how Renkotsu was sitting back on his heels like a woman. "Oh, sweet Kami-sama, he didn't..." The cross-dresser stared at his fellow teammate in horror, hands clasped tightly over his mouth as he rocked back and forth.

"I swear if you don't leave right now, you're not going to live long enough to regret it!" the fire-breather snarled.

"Okay..." Jakotsu said softly as he backed slowly away on his hands and knees, only standing once he was outside the door, which he closed quietly.

"What do you want, Jak?" Suikotsu asked, scaring the hell out of Jakotsu, who had never heard him approaching.

"Nothing... I... I, ummm..." The cross-dresser stared at Suikotsu wild-eyed. He was deathly afraid of what the claw-bearer would do to him after seeing what he had done to Renkotsu. "Ummm... nothing..." Feeling sick with guilt, he hurried off towards Bankotsu's room. He had made it almost all of the way there before his stomach clenched and he vomited into the courtyard garden. He sank to his knees, retching and vomiting until he had nothing left in his stomach. Crawling the rest of the way to Bankotsu's door, he curled up in a ball just outside of it and cried himself to sleep.

Part Eight: Dinner and a Show...

Jakotsu was startled out of his sleep when the shoji behind him suddenly opened and he almost fell through. Bankotsu, who had locked himself in the room while he brooded the whole day away, finally emerged to eat some dinner.

Jakotsu looked up at him timidly from his place on the floor, hoping with all his might that Bankotsu was no longer angry with him. Those hopes were dashed when his beloved leader looked down on him with a glare so cold and angry that Jakotsu was frozen to the spot. Without a word the leader of the Shichinintai turned away from the cross-dresser and headed towards the Inn's dining hall.

Jakotsu watched him go with wide frightened eyes. He had never experienced such cold rejection from anyone before, let alone his beloved. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, and he sat there silently weeping, until a passing guest pulled him from his mind-numbing reverie.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

"Yes... thank you," the cross-dresser replied softly as he let the man help him up. "I was on my way to dinner when I slipped," he lied.

"Are you sure you're alright?" the man asked and the concern written all over his face made Jakotsu start to cry again as it reminded him painfully of Bankotsu.

"Yes, I'm fine, really I am. I'm just being silly," Jakotsu tittered into his sleeve, playing the coquette.

The man smiled and let the matter drop. "Would you like me to accompany you to the dining hall?"

"No thank you, I'll be okay. Please, if you don't mind I'd rather walk there by myself..." he said softly as he gently cupped the man's cheek.

"Even though it's against my better judgment to let you go by yourself, I make it a rule to never argue with a pretty lady..." the man said as he took Jakotsu's hand and held it for several heartbeats before letting go.

Inwardly sighing with relief, Jakotsu flashed the man his sunniest smile, before turning on his heel and hurrying off towards the dining room.

"Wait! You never told me your name!!" the man cried at Jakotsu's retreating form.

Meanwhile, Mukotsu, Ginkotsu, and Kyokotsu were already there, and were beginning to eat the pile of food set before them. They looked up when their leader approached, giving him a nod, and Bankotsu nodded back, before sitting down to partake of some nutrition himself.

Jakotsu came to the table ten minutes later, looking like a lost puppy that had been left out in the cold, freezing rain. Mukotsu's and Ginkotsu's eyes shifted back and forth between Jakotsu and Bankotsu, both wondering if their leader was going to stand up and smash his subordinate's skull in or not. Kyokotsu, however, seemed completely indifferent to the drama taking place between his comrades and continued to munch on his food without interruption.

Jakotsu sat there, eying his lover surreptitiously, as he picked at his food. He was worried about Bankotsu, as the young leader of the Shichinintai seemed pale and drawn not to mention he was also picking at his food. The cross-dresser was also feeling uncomfortable with all the attention the others paid to him and he was about to snap an angry comment off about it when felt his lover staring at him. He tittered nervously, smiling at Bankotsu as if nothing was wrong, when Bankotsu closed his eyes in disgust and turned away from him.

"Aniki-chan..." Jakotsu said softly.

Bankotsu steadfastly ignored him as he suddenly found his teacup to be far more interesting than his paramour.

"Aniki-chan...?"

"What do you want?" Bankotsu said tersely, without looking over at Jakotsu.

"I'm not hungry..." Jakotsu said softly, "and I was wondering if you wanted my fish... I thought if you ate it, it'd help you get better faster..."

Whatever Bankotsu was going to say died on his lips as his attention, as well as the others', was drawn by Suikotsu's arrival.

Suikotsu stopped and greeted his teammates with a nod.

"Where is Renkotsu?" Ginkotsu asked, apprehension clearly heard in his metallic voice. All day long he had been worried about Suikotsu's reaction to Renkotsu's folly. And he feared the worst for his friend if Suikotsu's violent side had decided to take matters into his own hands.

"He is fine. He is resting; he did not get much sleep last night." Suikotsu threw a cold glance over to Jakotsu. 

And recovering from you cutting him up, Jakotsu thought bitterly, sipping his tea.

"I just came down to collect some food to take to our room to eat," Suikotsu said simply. "Is that all right?" He looked to Bankotsu.

"That won't be necessary." Renkotsu slowly approached the table.

Jakotsu felt his heart grow little heavier. In the better light of the dining area Renkotsu looked even worse than before. He was so pale, and wobbly he looked as if he might collapse at any moment. It was almost frightening to see the indomitable fire-breather in that state. Yet, the cross-dresser was amazed at how well Renkotsu was hiding it, if he hadn't seen the fire-breather all torn up before; he might not have guessed how bad Renkotsu really was.

Apparently Suikotsu thought so too. "You shouldn't be up. Go back and sleep."

"Nonsense, I am quite all right and very hungry." Renkotsu put on his usual face as if nothing was wrong at all, though he gulped a little at the harsh gaze Bankotsu was leveling him with.

Unfortunately, the only space left at the table was next to Jakotsu. Renkotsu slowly sat down and looked very uncomfortable in doing so, though that could have been from his other injuries as well.

"Gesh. Renkotsu, welcome to the table." Ginkotsu innocently reached around behind Jakotsu and gave Renkotsu a friendly slap on the back.

Renkotsu let out a strangled gasp and cringed as the mending gashes on his back were torn open again from the impact of Ginkotsu's strong hand. Both Suikotsu and Jakotsu winced as they imagined exactly what happened.

Suikotsu put a hand on Renkotsu's shoulder. The fire-breather's body trembled a little as he tried to swallow a scream of excruciating pain, while remaining as stoic as possible. Jakotsu felt another pang of guilt rip through his chest and he reached out; innocently placing a hand on Renkotsu's other shoulder.

That was the last straw. Bankotsu slammed his hands down on the table, causing the edge to break off where he struck it. "You just can't keep your hands off of him can you? You little slut!"

The entire dining hall fell silent. Even Kyokotsu stopped in mid bite and turned to look at his leader in surprise. Bankotsu stood there, panting, wheezing, and sweating as his broken ribs protested his sudden actions.

"Aniki-chan. What...What did I do?" Jakotsu stared at his Bankotsu, absolutely petrified. He had seen Bankotsu this angry many times before, but never at him.

"Are you blind as well as ignorant?!" Bankotsu snarled then gasped at the pain in his chest. He then turned on his heel and stormed toward his room.

Everyone in the dining remained a still as death for a few moments, before a rush of whispers ran through the room as people spoke and gossiped about the drama the strange group of seven men was creating.

Jakotsu sat there open-mouthed in shock. He felt as if Bankotsu had just shoved Banryuu right through his heart. Jakotsu staggered to his feet and ran off after his beloved leader. In his blind pursuit he almost crashed headlong into the strange man he had met earlier. "Sorry," the cross-dresser rasped out quickly and kept going.

"Hey, wait I still don't know your..." the man called out to Jakotsu, but the aggrieved Shichinintai warrior paid no heed to it. "...name."

The man sighed in defeat. "I'm guess, I'm just unlucky..."

"You should consider yourself very lucky you're not getting mixed up with that woman."

Another guest came up to him. "I heard that she was discovered this morning in the storage room with a man who was not her husband. Then just now her husband was yelling at her, and called her a...well...he implied she was a trollop. Apparently he found out. Oh, what a drama this is. Quite entertaining. Either way you would not want to get mixed up in it."

"Uh...yeah..." the man stood there, looking absolutely dumbfounded.

"Shit..." Suikotsu sighed closing his eyes. "A rib is probably going to puncture Oo-Aniki's lungs now..."

Renkotsu let out a half sigh, half growl and his head drooped in his hands.

"Bad day?" Mukotsu smirked over at the fire-breather.

"Shut up..."


	5. Chapter 5

**Part Nine: Stupidity and Jealousy…**

Instead of knocking, Jakotsu slipped quietly into his lover's room. "Aniki-chan…?" he said softly, surprised to see Bankotsu sitting there, polishing his Banryuu instead of resting. i _Damn it… he only does that when he's really angry. But what's he so mad about? I didn't do anything… /i _

"What do you want?" Bankotsu said coldly. He kept polishing his halberd as if it was very important he do so, and Jakotsu could feel the waves of anger rolling off him. He had not even bothered to look up at his paramour, which made Jakotsu feel suddenly afraid. "Well…? Unless you've come to say something important, you had better leave."

The cross-dresser looked at him, letting the hurt he felt at his lover's tone, show in his eyes. "I, ummm… I," he paused to watch Bankotsu as he tried to rub a hole in his halberd. "Aniki-chan-"

"Don't call me that!"

Jakotsu sighed. "Fine… Bankotsu-Oo-Aniki, are you in pain?"

"No, I'm not in pain."

"Are you angry?"

Bankotsu sighed and looked up at his paramour, clearly irritated by his stupidity. "Of course I'm angry, Jakotsu. Wouldn't you be in my situation?"

Jakotsu stood there, thinking it over. "What situation…?" he said hesitantly.

Bankotsu shook his head. "The one where you spent the night with Ren."

"Ooh… But why are you so angry about that? We didn't do anything except suck each other off and that was only because I was trying to help him out with Sui…"

Bankotsu felt as though he was going to be sick. "That's exactly why I'm angry," he said tersely.

"Why? All I was doing was helping out my 'brother' because brothers are supposed to help each other out, right? Isn't that what you always say?"

"Yeah…" Bankotsu said wearily, and he was clearly disliking the direction their conversation was taking. "Do tell me, Jakotsu, how is having sex with my second-in-command supposed to be helping him or this team?" he said icily.

"But we didn't have sex, Bankotsu-Oo-Aniki. All I did was show him how to give Sui pleasure orally the same way I was taught. They love each other, Oo-Aniki, but they are afraid to give into it. You and I have such a wonderful thing here, and after talking with Ren, I thought I should show him a few things so that he could know that kind of happiness. It meant nothing to me, I swear it! It would be the same as Gin showing me how he makes those whirling blades of his fly through the air! Or Mu showing me how to make poisons, or Kyo showing me…ummm… I don't know. He scares me too much to really go near him…" the cross-dresser rambled on. "But I do know that if Ren and Sui take their the love further, it'll be one less thing for them to think about and that'll make them more focused on their work…"

"And you expect me to believe that shit?"

"It's not shit, Oo-Aniki… I'm sorry you don't believe me, but I don't know what else I can tell you…" Jakotsu said sadly.

"Did it ever occur to you that I might be uncomfortable with you sucking off my second-in-command?"

"No… Because it's not like I haven't done that before. Come on, Oo-Aniki, how many times have you sent me off on a mission to do just that when we needed information on an enemy? Or how many times have you asked me to do that so we can have a roof over our heads while we're recovering from our injuries, or when we needed money so we could buy food to feed our bellies? Plus you know damned well what I used to do before you took me away from that!" Jakotsu said bitterly.

The leader of the Shichinintai was completely caught off guard by his paramour's argument. "This is… different."

"How so? Because you know Ren and have worked side by side with him? But if I were still stuck in the bathhouse and you were a regular client of mine, you two would eventually come to know each other. And maybe even become be friends… and I have had two regular clients at once. So how would this be any different then? Maybe if you explain it, I'll know better how to make it up to you, because I can see you're hurt by it and the last thing I ever want to do is hurt you, Aniki-chan…" the cross-dresser said plaintively.

Bankotsu felt his anger melting away like snow on a warm spring day. He also hated seeing his lover upset, but he was still hurt and he tried clinging to the remains of his anger. Turning away so as not to break his resolve and forgive Jakotsu too quickly, he said softly, "I just… I don't want…" He swallowed. "I don't want to lose you to him!"

Jakotsu stood there, stunned by that little revelation. "You never were in any danger of that, Aniki-chan…" the cross-dresser replied equally as softly. "It's you I love and no one else…" Jakotsu walked over to where his lover sat, and knelt down next to him, throwing his arms carefully around him as he pulled him close.

Bankotsu sat there stiffly in Jakotsu's embrace as he was teetering on the edge of flying off into a rage and beating some sense into his paramour or bursting into tears of frustration over his stupidity as he had the feeling his lover still refused to believe he was wrong. "How can I be sure of that?" he said softly as he gave into his feelings of jealousy. "You might be saying that because it's the easiest thing to say that'll mollify me, and not because you mean it."

Jakotsu sighed wearily, and letting the hurt he felt bleed into his voice, he said softly, "Oo-Aniki, I have never once lied to you in all the time we've been together and you know it!" He took a deep ragged breath as he tried to hold back his tears and failed miserably. "I can't believe you'd say that to me!"

Bankotsu closed his eyes and let his arms snake around his paramour's waist in a tentative embrace. "But that's what I was so worried about when you had your liaison with Ren…"

The cross-dresser held his lover tighter. "It wasn't a liaison, Oo-Aniki-chan," he soothed. "It was more like when I was in the bathhouse and was being taught what to do by the girls. They would show me how to do something by doing it to me and then they would later on watch me to make sure I knew what I was doing while I was there helping out with one of their clients. That's all…"

"Are you sure that's all it was…?" Bankotsu said quietly, and looking up at his paramour, his expression softened as he grasped at that sliver of reassurance he could use to forgive Jakotsu.

"I swear on all that I hold dear," Jakotsu said, hugging his lover as tightly as he dared to, to underscore his words. "That's all it was, Aniki-chan…" He kissed the top of Bankotsu's head.

Seconds later, Bankotsu wrapped his arms tightly around Jakotsu's waist.

Smiling, his eyes bright with tears, Jakotsu gently tilted his lover's face up and kissed Bankotsu long and hard.

**Part Ten: The calm before the storm…**

Breaking the kiss, Jakotsu said, "You're such a lil housewife, you know that?" He smiled at his lover impishly.

"Hunh?"

"I said 'you're a lil housewife.' Well, you were certainly acting like one. You have no idea how many times I've heard a client complain about their jealous wife, only to have said wife show up a few days later at the bathhouse, screaming at me and carrying on like I murdered her family." The cross-dresser sighed. "And here I thought that when you took me far away from all that I'd never have to hear it again."

Bankotsu felt his checks heating up. "Sorry, Sweetness, but you-"

"But nothing! You were acting like a jealous housewife and you can't deny it, Ban-chan!" Jakotsu laughed. "But that's okay, because I love you." He pulled his lover close, and completely forgetting about Bankotsu's broken ribs, Jakotsu pulled him down on top of himself.

"Argh!" Bankotsu cried out as his injury made itself known. He found he suddenly could not breathe as the pain was too intense and it scared him.

"Aniki-chan?! What's wrong?" Jakotsu said as the crosser-dresser gently eased his lover off himself and onto the futon.

"Can't… breathe…" Bankotsu panted out in shallow breaths.

"Ssh…" Jakotsu soothed, although the panic he felt was clearly mirrored in lover's eyes. "I'll go get Sui! Wait, maybe I should help you sit up..?"

Bankotsu nodded, his eyes swimming with tears of pain. He just wanted this agony to end for it was far worse than anything he had endured in the course of a battle. He nearly passed out when his paramour propped him up with floor cushions, but somehow he remained conscious. "Go…hurry…"

Jakotsu nodded, and giving his lover a little kiss, he stood up and hurried off towards Suikotsu's room. "Sui! Suikotsu!" he cried as he pounded on the shoji. "Come quickly! Oo-Aniki needs you!! Sui!!"

Forgetting his grudge against Jakotsu in the alarm that their leader might be in trouble, Suikotsu threw open the shoji. "What happened?! What's wrong with him?!"

"Something happened! He can't breathe!!" Jakotsu cried, teetering on hysteria. "You have to come now!!"

Not knowing what, if anything, he could do, Renkotsu sat there, staring at both of them in silent alarm. Suikotsu dashed over and grabbed his medical bag, following Jakotsu back to their leader's room.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part Eleven: Pulse…**

"Oo-Aniki!" Suikotsu said as he entered Bankotsu's room with Jakotsu closely following behind him. Kneeling, he gently pried the young leader's fingers away from his chest, and opening his kimono, he said softly, "I'm sorry but I need to check your ribs." He carefully felt around the large bruise on Bankotsu's side, gently probing with his fingers along his injured ribs. Satisfied they had not shifted to a more dangerous position, where they could easily puncture his lung, he took Bankotsu's pulse. It felt weak and thready and the skin on his wrist was also cold and clammy. He had to do something and fast for his pain so that Bankotsu could rest more comfortably and start to heal. Suikotsu was more worried than he let on about the possibility of losing him, for he had seen men die from the same symptoms.

"Oo-Aniki, I need to go back to my room and get you something to help you rest. If you can sleep without pain, I have every confidence that you'll soon be your old self," the good doctor said softly, more for Jakotsu's benefit than Bankotsu's as he noticed their leader had just slipped into unconsciousness. "I'll be right back, Jak," Suikotsu said as he gave Jakotsu's shoulder a little squeeze. "Just sit with him quietly, okay"

"Okay…"

Suikotsu nodded and got up to leave. He was glad he had found that poppy field when they had traveled through the mountains a couple of missions ago, because now those seed heads he had dried were about to come in more handy than they would when he sowed the seeds in his herb garden at home. He hurried through the inn's outer corridor and was soon at his room where he entered quickly.

"Is Oo-Aniki alright?" Renkotsu asked as he painfully sat up.

"Yes, and you should be resting too," the doctor said distractedly as he gathered the things necessary to make their leader a cup of opium tea.

"What's wrong with him?" Renkotsu asked.

"Ribs are bothering him. I suspect Jak got a bit over excited and Ban was indulging him again…" Suikotsu said as he picked up a small pot to heat water in. "Do you mind?" he asked, the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips as he held out a long sliver of wood. "And then I want you to try and get some sleep."

Renkotsu took the proffered piece of wood and lit it.

"Thanks… Your back isn't hurting you, is it?"

Renkotsu sighed. "It is a little, but it's nothing I can't handle."

"You sure?"

"Yeah…I can put up with it."

The claw-bear laughed. "I know it tastes terrible, but if you're hurting really badly, you'll feel better after you have some."

"I'd rather smoke it…"

"That's not an option, Ren."

"I know… and you'd better hurry and get some water, because if you're going through the trouble of making it, then Oo-Aniki must be in bad shape."

Suikotsu sighed. "Yeah… He passed out from the pain."

"Go!"

The good doctor hurried outside, and holding the pot under the fountain he waited patiently as it filled, while he prayed to the gods that Jakotsu let his lover be. Once it was filled he quickly made his way back inside and set on the room's tiny brazier to heat up.  
He and Renkotsu sat in companionable silence while the doctor fussed with his tea things. Picking up his mortar and pestle, Suikotsu started grinding the poppy seed heads open. Once he had everything set up to his satisfaction, he changed Renkotsu's bandages, adding more of the cool green salve to the wounds on his back. Afterwards the two sat there, holding on to one another as they drew strength from each other's loving touch.

When he judged it was time for the water to be hot but not boiling, Suikotsu reluctantly let go of his would-be lover. He walked over to the low table beside the brazier and taking the pot of water, he poured it into a waiting teacup. He let the poppy straw steep in the hot water, releasing the drug along with everything else into it. He waited until he felt it was dark enough, and strained it into another waiting cup. Then he took some of the remains of his honey from a small pot and drizzled it into the cup to mask the bitter taste of the tea.

"Ren, would you mind tasting this for me? Please…?"

"What if I said 'no'?" Renkotsu teased as he took the cup, and lifting it to his lips, he took a small sip. "Tastes like shit."

"Good, then it's fine. Now rest and I'll be back as soon as I can…"

"I'll try…"

"Even that small sip'll help, Ren…"

"I know. Now go as Oo-Aniki needs you."

Suikotsu nodded and hurried off, tea in hand. He slipped back into his leader's room as quietly as he had left. Seconds later, he was kneeling at Bankotsu's side, trying to wake him up after handing the tea to the cross-dresser to hold. "Oo-Aniki, I have something that'll make you feel better…"

"Wake up, Aniki-chan, Sui, made you some that vile looking tea he made for Ren last time he was sick," Jakotsu added helpfully.  
"That was willow bark tea for a headache," the doctor gently corrected. "Come, Oo-Aniki, this is the same but stronger and you'll be able to sleep much better if you have some."

"Hunh…?" Bankotsu said groggily. He cried out in pain when Suikotsu pulled him into a seated position.

"Drink, Aniki-chan," Jakotsu said softly as he held the teacup to his lover's lips. The two somehow managed to get their leader to drink half the cup before he started gagging on the taste. Then they carefully eased him back and waited a half an hour for the opium to take effect.  
Jakotsu watched as Suikotsu took Bankotsu's pulse again. "Why do you keep doing that?" he asked.

"I'm just checking his life-force. Here, give me your hand," the good doctor said, and taking the cross-dresser's hand, he turned it so that his palm faced upwards. Suikotsu pushed back Jakotsu's kimono sleeve. "You see this…" he ran his finger lightly against veins that showed faintly blue through his skin. "Your life-force flows through those lines. If you put your finger there and lightly press you can feel it pulsing. Oo-Aniki's was faint before because of all the pain he was in. That's why I told you no nookie," he gently chided, and letting go of Jakotsu's hand, Suikotsu laid the back of his own hand briefly on Bankotsu's cheek.

"Oh yeah…" Jakotsu giggled, before growing serious. "I forgot about that, but I was so happy when Oo-Aniki forgave me…"

"It's okay…I think Oo-Aniki forgot too."

"You think…?"

Suikotsu nodded. "Anyway, at least he doesn't have a fever which is good. All he needs is rest, and I mean it, Jakotsu. You have to be the one who's strong and remembers to take it easy with Oo-Aniki." He checked his leader's pulse again.

"I will…but it won't be easy as Oo-Aniki is very yummy." The cross-dresser giggled at the blush that spilled across Suikotsu's cheeks. "But I'll try."

"Good." The doctor nodded. "I think the tea is starting to take effect. Oo-Aniki's life-force is stronger and if you'll be quiet I'll be able to tell how much easier he's breathing."

"Okay…" Jakotsu watched, fascinated, as Suikotsu placed his hand close to Bankotsu's mouth. He left it there for several heartbeats as he felt his leader's breath grow stronger. "He's sleeping now. I want you to watch over him for me, as I need to go check up on Ren. If anything changes I want you to come and get me again, okay," Suikotsu said as he stood up and prepared to leave.

"Sure. Ummm… aren't you going to leave the tea in case Oo-Aniki needs it?"

"No. I'll make him some more later; but if he has too much, it'll make him much sicker in the long run."

"Okay… and thanks Sui…"

"You welcome. Now don't forget; come get me if you need me and more importantly, no matter how well Oo-Aniki's feeling, or begs you for it, NO nookie or he'll die, understood?"

"Yes!" Jakotsu stared at the doctor in alarm.

"He's not going to die, Jak, so don't worry. If he wakes up tell him a story… I want him to sleep as much as possible so that he'll heal," Suikotsu said as he turned to leave. He hated being so blunt with Jakotsu and scaring him, but he felt it was for his own good as well as Bankotsu's. He left their room, chuckling softly to himself when he heard Jakotsu softly singing a bawdy song to his beloved while he slept.  
Minutes later, he was back in the room he shared with his own would-be lover.

"Is Oo-Aniki better now?"

"I think so. As long as they can restrain themselves long enough for his ribs to heal, he'll do fine. Now let me have a look at your back. I want to change the bandages again and put some more salve on them. It's bad enough I have to worry about Oo-Aniki, without worrying if you're going to get an infection or not."

Ren chuckled softly as he slowly eased himself over onto to stomach. "You know, I'm starting to think there's another you living in your head."

"What do you mean by that?" Suikotsu asked as he gently cut through the layers of bandages.

"Haha-ue…" he said softly and Suikotsu could hear the smile in his voice.

"Mother…?"

"Yup, you're starting to sound like my mother." He laughed. "OW! Careful!"

"Sorry… The bandages are stuck to your wounds...I think it'll be better if you sat up," Suikotsu said softly as he helped Renkotsu into a seated position. He carefully peeled the bandages away. "Shit!" he swore softly when one of the cuts started bleeding again. "I'm sorry, Ren…" He briefly laid his forehead against the back of his would-be lover's neck. "I should have been more in control…"

**Part Twelve: Four Perfect Slashes…**

"It's alright, Sui, I asked for it…" Renkotsu said softly, and reaching up, he placed his hand on top of the claw-bearer's.

"There's no way in hell you deserved that… I'm sorry, Ren."

"I know you are and I'm sorry too that I did what I did… Truthfully, this is nothing compared to hurt I saw in your eyes and I still hear in voice."

"It's okay, Ren…" Suikotsu sighed and reached for the jar "We're a sorry bunch, eh?" he said softly as he gently slathered on the green jell-like salve on his would-be lover's back.

"Yeah…" Renkotsu said ruefully.

"Damn!" Suikotsu swore as he stopped in mid-bandage.

"What?"

The good doctor half sighed half groaned. "As much as I want to stay here with you, I need to go check on Oo-Aniki again." Suikotsu continued wrapping Renkotsu's torso, dragging it out so that he could stay that much longer by his would-be lover's side. "I just don't trust them alone together, especially if Oo-Aniki isn't feeling any pain, there's no telling what they'll do. It also appears Oo-Aniki has forgiven Jak …"

"Unbelievable," Renkotsu said bitterly. "He causes trouble and nothing ever happens to him."

"Perhaps that's because Oo-Aniki loves him so much he can't stay mad at for more than a few minutes. I… we forgave you very quickly too…"

"But _he_ didn't," Renkotsu said and Suikotsu winced at the hurt in his voice.

"I'm sorry, Ren, but I think he was the most afraid of losing you…" Suikotsu said softly as he finished bandaging his would-be lover. _Don't you know that he's an animal driven by fear…  
_  
"You'd better go see Oo-Aniki."

Suikotsu tried to pull him into an embrace but Renkotsu stiffened at his touch.

"Go…" the fire-breather said softly.

"Okay… But please try and get some rest, Ren…"

The fire-breather nodded as he moved to lie down. He did not know how much rest he would get as his mind was whirling with his conflicting thoughts and emotions. They eventually settled down into an overwhelming feeling of anger, but at whom it was directed, Renkotsu had no idea. As he stiffly rolled on to his side, he heard his beloved slip quietly out of their room. _Damn it! Come back, Sui _he thought as the tears silently rolled down his cheeks.

Suikotsu stood just outside their room, his heart heavy with shame over what _he_ had done in a fit of jealous rage. _Animal…  
_  
He slowly made his way back to his leader's room, and when he got there, he quietly slipped inside without knocking.

Jakotsu looked up at the sound of Suikotsu's soft footsteps as he came over to them. "Aniki-chan's still asleep, Sui. He seems to be resting easier than he did before too."

"That's good. I'll just check his life-force again," the good doctor said as he felt Bankotsu's pulse.

"Something wrong, Sui?" Jakotsu asked.

"No, why?"

"Nothing… you just don't look happy about something…" _Is Ren okay  
_  
Suikotsu sighed. "I'm fine, Jak," he said wearily. "I'm just tired, that's all."

"Oh… Why don't you get some sleep? I'll come get you if Aniki-chan needs you."

"I'm planning on doing just that, but first I want to make sure Oo-Aniki's okay. And don't forget, you need to sleep in your own futon," Suikotsu said gently yet firmly like a parent to a child.

"I know…"

Suikotsu sat there in silence for a few seconds as he counted the beats. Just as he was certain their leader would be alright, he felt his pulse quicken. He looked down at Bankotsu in time to see his eyes open as he grabbed the doctor's wrist.

"Oo-Aniki…?"

Bankotsu blinked a few times before answering. "Yes…?" he said groggily.

"Nothing, I thought you were asleep…"

"So did I, Aniki-chan," Jakotsu chimed in softly.

"How can I sleep with you two fussing all over me?" Bankotsu took a deep breath and sighed._ What the hell…? It doesn't hurt any more _"Ummm…?" he said, quirking an eyebrow at the doctor.

"We gave you some opium tea and judging by your current state, you're probably going to be completely intoxicated and I'd say sooner than later."

Bankotsu laughed tiredly. "Then get Renkotsu's ass in here now! We have things we need to discuss."

Suikotsu quirked an eyebrow at him. "Are you sure you want to do this now? Perhaps you should wait until tomorrow when you are more recovered."

Bankotsu glared him and in a voice that brooked no argument, he said, "I said now!!" He leveled his gaze at Jakotsu. "And you go with him and stay there!"

Jakotsu smiled nervously at him. "Aniki-chan… I think you should listen to Sui…" He cringed at the look Bankotsu gave in response. "Ummm… okay."

Suikotsu stood up to leave. "Very well, but if a rib punctures your lung, I'm not going to be held responsible."

Bankotsu waved them away. "Just go!" He was feeling better and as a result he was working himself up into a foul mood. He had the feeling his paramour had not told him everything and it hurt as well as irritated him. So he decided the only way he was going to get to the truth of the matter was to ask Renkotsu exactly what had happened.

Suikotsu nodded and turned to head back to his room. He got as far as leaving the room, when he popped his head back in. "Go easy on him, alright?"

Bankotsu nodded. He turned to his paramour, quirking an eyebrow at him.

Jakotsu tittered nervously at him, "I guess I'll ummm… go too…? Ummm… don't tired yourself out, Aniki-chan. Remember if you feel sick again don't hesitate to tell Ren to come and get us, okay?"

Bankotsu looked up at him and sighed wearily. "Just go, Jak…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Part Thirteen: Shaken not stirred…**

Suikotsu quietly entered his room. "Ren… are you awake?"

Renkotsu yawned and painfully rolled over to face him. "Yeah…?"

"Ren, are you feeling better?"

The fire-breather nodded as he looked up his would-be lover.

"Good… Ummm, Ban wants to see you."

"He does…?"

Suikotsu nodded. "I believe he wants to put his mind at ease…"

Renkotsu sighed heavily. "Fine, then I'll go see him." He slowly got to his feet, his grimace of pain quickly dissolving into a look of extreme annoyance. "What the hell do you want now?" he said to Jakotsu as he slipped into their room without knocking.

Jakotsu smiled. "Nothing… I was told to stay away so I thought I'd ummm… help Sui with his stuff." The cross-dresser grinned at Renkotsu.

The fire-breather rolled his eyes at Jakotsu as he strode past him. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Sui. And, Jak, try to stay out trouble and don't bother Sui."

"Okay…Bye, Ren." Jakotsu waved at Renkotsu's retreating form. Turning to Suikotsu, he asked, "So what…?" The rest of his words died mid-sentence when he caught the look on the claw-bear's face.

"Actually, Jak, I was thinking you and I should have a little talk," Suikotsu said, his tone just as dark as the look on his face.

Jakotsu gulped. "I was thinking the same thing…" he tittered nervously. i _Kami-sama, help me/i _"So…ummm…?"

Suikotsu stood there, clenching and unclenching his fists. He muttered softly to himself for several minutes before he relaxed and calmly walked over to the low table in the far corner of the room, Jakotsu in tow. Suikotsu knelt and sorted through the various jars and bundles of dried herbs on the table. "Here, make yourself useful," he softly as he handed the cross-dresser a large bowl of dried herbs and a mortar and pestle.

Jakotsu looked at him in surprise. "Ummm… Okay. What do I do?"

"You put the herbs in the mortar and then you mash them with the pestle until they're powdery. Think you can do that for me?"

"Oh… you mean like this?" The cross-dresser took some herbs, and placing them in the mortar, he pounded them.

"Yes…"

"How long do I keep doing this and what do you want me to do with the powder?"

"Until they're all done," Suikotsu said distractedly. He was doing his best to ignore the cross-dresser as he tried to calm his mind, and being annoyed with Jakotsu had left him feeling somewhat peevish. "You can put the powder in this." The good doctor handed him another bowl. "You need to grind them finer, Jak. Just keep doing that until I tell you to stop."

"When's that?"

"When they reach the proper consistency," a tiny hint of irritation crept into the doctor's voice.

"And that is…?"

"I'll tell you."

Jakotsu snorted in annoyance. "Okay…" As he pounded the herbs into a fine powder, he started humming a bawdy song.

"Tell me, Jak, were you drinking opium-laced tea last night?"

"Why would I do that? I'm not sick. All I did was drink some sake with Ren, why?" The cross-dresser gave him a puzzled look.

"No reason. I was just wondering what affected your brain so much that you would engage in sexual activities with Ren."

"Oh." Jakotsu blinked. "But ummm…I didn't have sex with Ren… all we did," he paused under Suikotsu's harsh scrutiny, and changing his mind as to what he was about to say, he went on, "ummm… all I did was suck him off. I thought it would be a good idea to teach him something you two could do together for fun…"

"But you had no right to just go and do that! Didn't you even consider my feelings about this?"

"Ummm… no… But I don't see what the problem is. I only did that because brothers are supposed to help each other."

"This is different from other things we help each other with," Suikotsu said quietly. "I understand that you are completely desensitized to the intimacy that sex or engaging in sexual activity holds… But I am not, and as such, I was deeply hurt that you and he would engage in such intimate activity."

Jakotsu sat there, listening to Suikotsu gently tell him off; the emotions flitting across the cross-dresser's face ranging from outrage to sadness. "Sui, I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you, but I'm not as dumb as you think I am. I mean I may not be as smart as you or Ren, or Oo-Aniki, or the others… But I do know the difference between having sex and making love to someone, especially when that someone who holds your heart in his hands. And, ummm… what I showed Ren was just the beginning of having sex with someone, and well, ummm…I do that when we need money, but Oo-Aniki-chan does that with me because he loves me… and it's special to me. And I wanted-"

Suikotsu interrupted him with a heavy sigh. "Yes, but you should have considered the fact that I might have been uncomfortable with you touching him in such ways. When I opened that door and I saw you two there, lying naked and all over each other at that, how was I supposed to know that you two never made love?" He quirked an eyebrow at Jakotsu, before looking away in disgust. "I admit my possessive side may have jumped to a conclusion a bit too quickly, but… Well, it wasn't right to go behind my back!"

"Sui… There were times when a client would ask me to show him something that he could do to please his wife in the futon, and ummm… well, I never said to him, 'Wait, we need to go ask your wife if it's okay…' because such things were always meant as a surprise." He sighed sadly. "So it wasn't exactly going behind your back... It was meant as a surprise…" he rambled on, and looking away, he said, "Okay… I seduced him for my own needs, happy?" He looked back at Suikotsu, and instantly regretted it.

Suikotsu's expression grew suddenly vicious, as his evil side latched on to that little bit of information. "HE WASN'T YOURS TO HAVE!!"

Jakotsu's eyes grew wide as the color drained from his face. i _Oh shit… /i _

For a brief second the look of fear in Suikotsu's eyes mirrored the cross-dresser's, and closing his eyes, Suikotsu gripped his head as if he were having a migraine.

Jakotsu, suddenly finding his voice, said, "I'm sorry, Sui… I…I wasn't thinking straight with all that sake we were drinking and it was sooo easy to talk Ren into it… but it wasn't like we actually had sex with each other like I told Oo-Aniki-chan! I swear on all that I hold dear, nothing like that happened! All I did was suck Ren off and then he threw up, which I wasn't too happy about…" Jakotsu, who was practically soiling himself with fear, rambled on. "I'm sorry! I swear if I could go back and relive that night over again, I'd tell him to fuck off! I know I should have gone off with one of the men who'd propositioned me, but nooo… I was stupid and I decided to go along with Ren and drink sake instead and then somehow we were talking about you and him and I mentioned something about painless ways of fun… and…ummm…" he swallowed as his mouth suddenly went dry when Suikotsu glared at him.

Suikotsu narrowed his eyes at him, his evil personality fully in charge, and said softly, "Let me kill him…"

Jakotsu, his voice going up several octaves, squeaked out, "Kill who…?" He was frozen to the spot with fear, even though Suikotsu had made no move to touch him.

Ignoring Jakotsu, as his in-between personality took charge, Suikotsu said, "There's no point now, Ren's still ours…"

"Hunh…?" Jakotsu whispered. He was completely baffled by the claw-bearer's odd behavior as he had never seen the different personalities talking to each other before. "Ren was always yours…" he said softly.

Suikotsu smiled evilly, "If we kill the little whore, then we can be sure of it."

"What little whore..? Oh shit!" Jakotsu, sitting back on his heels like a woman, desperately tried to get his feet out from under himself so that he could get away.

Suikotsu's voice softened, "Then Ban will kill us, and we don't really want to die, do we?"

Jakotsu seized that statement like a drowning man clutches a lifeline to safety. "That's right! You don't want to die! Because if you do… Ren will miss you!! He'll die without you!! And you don't want Ren to die, do you?"

Suddenly Suikotsu let go of his head, and slumping forward, his hands reached out and touched the floor in an effort to stop himself from falling. He panted hard as if he had just sprinted a mile, but there was an aura of calmness around him as if his evil side was fast asleep.

Jakotsu closed his eyes and clutched his chest. His heart was pounding as if he too had just sprinted a mile and it was all he could do not to sit there and laugh hysterically over his close brush with death. He took a few deep calming breaths before he flopped down on his side next to Suikotsu. "Are you okay, Sui…?" Jakotsu felt as though he had just aged fifty years in the last few minutes. "Sui…?" he said softly, cracking an eye open to look at the claw-bearer.

Suikotsu nodded.

"Good…" Jakotsu panted. "You scared the shit out of me…"

"I'm sorry; he's been very active lately…"

The cross-dresser was still in shock over his near death experience and he let the silence stretch between them before finally answering, "That's okay…"

"Don't worry; he won't come after you again."

"You sure about that…? Jakotsu smiled weakly. "I feel like I've aged a hundred years…" he said to no one in particular as he watched Suikotsu stretch out on the floor.

"Yes, because when he wants to kill someone, he doesn't wait around or bide his time, he just kills them, unless given a good reason not to."

The cross-dresser gulped. "Yeah…?" he said in a strangled voice as he tried not to faint.

Suikotsu reached out and patted him tiredly on the cheek. "Don't worry; you're not dead…"

"I feel like it." The cross-dresser barked out a tired little laugh. "And now I won't be able to sleep at night…" he said softly to himself.

"Why not? You seem tired enough, but I could always drug some of your tea if you want."

"Nightmares… I'm going to have worse ones now than I get after a battle…" He shivered. "But I'm afraid if you drug me, they'll be really scary… Ummm… Sui, can I sleep with you tonight? Please?! Since I can't sleep with Aniki-chan and sleeping with Ren is what started this mess!" his words came out in a rush. "Please, Sui?!" The cross-dresser looked over at the claw-bearer, his eyes swimming with tears. "Please…"

Suikotsu eyed him askance. "What?!" He stared at the teary-eyed cross-dresser, completely taken aback by his question. "Haven't you learned anything from this experience?!"

Jakotsu, wiping a way a tear, said, "Hunh? All I learned is I'm never going to sleep again!" His lower lip quivered, and taking a deep ragged breath, he wailed, "I want O-Aniki-chan!!"

"Calm down! One night of no-sex isn't going to kill you!" Suikotsu said forcefully.

Something in the claw-bearer's tone calmed Jakotsu's hysterics before they got out of hand. "Sex?" He blinked away the remains of his tears. "What the hell are you talking about? I'm afraid of nightmares and you want sex?" The cross-dresser sat up and backed away from him.

Suikotsu also sat up, and blinked back at him, equally in shock. "I thought… When you asked me to sleep with you that… I see…" he finished softly.

"Noooo… I'm not that stupid…" Jakotsu put a hand on his chest to still his wildly beating heart. "I get nightmares from intense situations like after a battle or this…" He smiled weakly. "And while sex does help, in this instance, I think it's going to be awhile before I can get it up again…" he said with a sigh.

"Good, because I don't want to have sex with you," Suikotsu said. When Jakotsu looked highly insulted, he clarified, "Because that's Ren's privilege alone."

"Oh… okay, when you put it that way…" The cross-dresser brightened. "So are you going to sleep with me or not because if you're not, then I want something that'll keep me awake and then some…"

Suikotsu, understanding the hell of nightmares, sighed. "I will on two conditions. One, we get our respective lovers' permission first, and two, you keep your clothes-"

"Okay, but I wasn't planning on swapping clothes with you," Jakotsu said as he shot the claw-bearer a puzzled look.

"You didn't let me finish. I was going to say 'You keep your clothes on.'"

"And that'll help keep scary Sui away…?" Jakotsu asked timidly. "I don't want to wake up dead tomorrow."

"It would help."

"Good… then I'll sleep dressed. If I can do it on a mission, then it shouldn't be too hard to do it in a futon, right…?" i _I hope… /i _

"Well, you either keep your kimono on, or no deal," Suikotsu said in a tone that brooked no argument.

"I said I would, okay?!" the cross-dresser replied peevishly. He looked away and then back at the claw-bearer. "Ummm… thanks, Sui," he said softly.

"You're welcome." Suikotsu sighed softly. "I just hope my own nightmares don't get too bad."

"You get them too…?" Jakotsu reached out to tentatively put a hand on Suikotsu's shoulder.

Suikotsu nodded. "Yes, a good deal of the time…"

"I'm sorry… What do you do about them? Aniki-chan lets me snuggle up to him at night and they go away…" the cross-dresser said softly.

"Yes… And since Ren has been in my bed they've gone down considerably."

Jakotsu nodded in agreement. "Yeah… having a warm body next to you really helps…"

"It does…" the claw-bearer said softly.

**Part Fourteen: Into the lion's den…**

Renkotsu's heart was pounding as he stood outside the room in which their leader Bankotsu was resting. In dealing with the pain he endured from Suikotsu's punishment he had almost forgotten he would eventually face the other betrayed party in this torrid affair.

_i At least with broken ribs he can't pound me into a blood pulp as easily… /i _

After taking a deep breath the second-in-command knocked on the door. "Leader?" In this circumstance Renkotsu thought it better to use the formal title than the familiar "Oo-Aniki."

A groggy voice answered him. "Enter."

As Renkotsu slid the shoji open, Bankotsu painfully shifted himself into a more upright sitting position. Renkotsu entered the room and bowed his head respectfully to his leader.

"You wished to see me?"

"I did." Bankotsu looked at him tiredly, but there was an intensity in his eyes that made the second-in-command shiver a little. "I want to hear your version of what happened last night."

Renkotsu remained silent for a moment with his head lowered, trying to think of the best possible way to explain it.

"Jakotsu and I were very intoxicated last night, and because of it, severely brain affected." The second-in-command kept his voice emotionless and firm, as he would when reporting information from a mission. "It was brash and irresponsible of me to allow us, most of all myself to get in such a reckless state. It will NOT happen again."

"I should hope not," Bankotsu snapped. "Ren, you are my second-in-command, and I have lost some trust in you. Jak is flighty and not the brightest star in the night sky, but he tries, but I expected better from you."

"I expected better from myself," Renkotsu growled.

"So tell me Ren," Bankotsu raised himself up a little more and carefully crossed his arms over his chest. "How are you going to regain my trust?"

The second-in-command lifted his head a looked Bankotsu straight in the eye, his face the image of firm resolution. "Leader, you can trust that I will never behave in such a reckless manner ever again." Renkotsu lowered his head again, and then his voice began to waver ever so slightly, "I have had a dreadful lesson that will not let me forget the consequences of being foolish."

"What lesson?"

Renkotsu swallowed hard and remained silent. Meanwhile Bankotsu's brain went to work. He remembered how pale and exhausted Renkotsu looked when he came to dinner, how Suikotsu was fluttering about him like a worried mother, and how Renkotsu looked like he was about to cry from pain when Ginkotsu slapped him on the back.

_i "Go easy on Ren; he's already been through my brand of punishment." /i _

Suikotsu's words were the final piece of the puzzle, and Bankotsu's eyes widened a little at his second in command as all the pieces came together. It was almost unbelievable; Suikotsu would never hurt Renkotsu, would he?

"What happened? Did Suikotsu…?" Bankotsu had softened in his anger considerably, if what he was thinking was true, he almost felt sorry for Renkotsu.

"His violent side was angry with me."

Bankotsu winced visibly, not even he wanted to be on unfriendly terms with Suikotsu's violent side.

"Here! Here's proof I will never be stupid again!" Renkotsu snarled, though it seemed to be more directed at himself than Bankotsu. Turning away from Bankotsu, he pulled down the top of his kimono and revealed bandages stained with four perfect slashes of red. There was no doubt what caused them.

Bankotsu shut his eyes and sighed tiredly. "You are forgiven. You may go."

"Thank you, Oo-Aniki."

**Part Fifteen: All's well that ends well…we hope…**

"Come on; let's see if we can salvage the herbs," Suikotsu said as he stood up. He walked over to the low table where Jakotsu had sat grinding the herbs into a fine powder. Chuckling softly, he said, "Amazingly you didn't spill it, and considering what just happened… that's good."

"Thanks… Ummm, anything else I can do to help?"

"As a matter fact, yes. You can go get me some water," Suikotsu said as he handed the cross-dresser a pot. "Fill it up all the way if you can…" he said distractedly as he gathered a few other dried herbs from his chest.

Jakotsu hurried off to do as he was bidden. Coming back he asked, "Are you making that vile smelling soup thing again?"

"Yes… It'll help keep Oo-Aniki's lungs clear."

"Oh… so what's it called?"

"Vile smelling soup, why?" Suikotsu looked up at him and smiled.

Jakotsu rolled his eyes and grinned. "Just wondering, that's all. I figured something that nasty must have a fancy name to go with it."

"Nope… Now hand me that whisk over there…" The good doctor placed the water on top of the brazier and as it heated up, he sent Jakotsu scurrying around for the various items he needed. Before too long, the room was reeking of the pungent concoction.

"Good, it's ready. Let's go," Suikotsu said as he poured it into a small, yet deep bowl.

"Okay," Jakotsu said, crinkling his nose in disgust at the smell. i _You don't have to tell me twice… Gagh…if I don't get out of here soon, I think I'm going to be sick… Poor Aniki-chan/i _

The two silently made their way back to Bankotsu's room. After seeing the face Jakotsu had made, Suikotsu carried the soup while he had the cross-dresser bring along a piece of cloth to tent over it.

As they approached their leader's door, Renkotsu quietly exited from it. He glared at the cross-dresser, although his gaze softened when Suikotsu said, "Good, you came out of there unscathed."

"Yeah…" Renkotsu smiled a tired half smile. "Oo-aniki let me off easy after seeing, you know…"

"Good," Suikotsu said solemnly.

Jakotsu wilted under Renkotsu's gaze. "Ask him…" he said anxiously to the claw-bearer.

Renkotsu looked from his would-be lover to the cross-dresser and back. "Ask who, what?" he said wearily as he was tired of Jakotsu's nonsense.

Suikotsu cast a quick glance at the cross-dresser as he heaved a weary sigh. "It would seem I'm not the only one plagued by nightmares, Jak is plagued by them as well and since Ban is indisposed, we wanted to know if he might sleep with me tonight."

Renkotsu laughed. "You've got to be kidding…"

"Noo!! We're not! I swear, Ren, I really do get nightmares!" the cross-dresser added anxiously.

"It's just for tonight only, Ren, and I promise all clothing will remain intact."

Renkotsu glared at the cross-dresser. "It had better remain that way…"

Jakotsu looked at him wide-eyed. "I swear on Oo-Aniki's life, I'll keep my clothes on!!"

Suikotsu sighed loudly, forestalling an argument between the two. Catching Renkotsu's eye, he said softly, "At least I had the courtesy to ask you first…"

The fire-breather looked as embarrassed as Jakotsu felt. "True… Alright, you have my blessing. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go… that shit smells worse than ever…" Renkotsu made a little face of disgust and started walking away.

Suikotsu nodded as he passed.

"Night, Ren!" Jakotsu said.

The fire-breather paused briefly and growled something in reply, before continuing on his way.

"What?" Jakotsu called out to him.

"You don't want to know," Suikotsu said softly. "Let's go."

"Okay…" the cross-dresser said as he followed him to their leader's door. Once there, Suikotsu entered without knocking. "Hey, Oo-Aniki, how are you?"

The young leader of the Shichinintai looked up tiredly. "I've been better, but at least I'm not hurting so badly anymore…"

Jakotsu smiled. "That's great, Aniki-chan!! Guess what?"

Bankotsu sighed. "What?"

"So you can get some proper rest and all... ummm… Sui said he'd sleep with me tonight," Jakotsu said as if it were a perfectly natural thing for the claw-bearer to do.

"Come again?" Bankotsu said incredulously.

"I'm sleeping with Sui tonight so you can get some rest."

"That's what I thought you said…" Bankotsu said wearily. "Please tell me your clothes are staying on…"

"Of course! The last thing I want to do is sleep with scary-Sui!" The cross-dresser shuddered. "Aniki-chan, I made a promise to Sui to keep them on and I swear they'll stay that way even if I can't really sleep!"

Bankotsu looked over at the claw-bearer and sighed. The effects of the opium tea were starting to catch up with him and he was beginning to feel tired and unable to concentrate. "Why is he sleeping with you again? I feel like I'm missing something here…"

"To calm his nightmares, or else he'll be waking you up every hour with his screams."

"I see…" Bankotsu said and turning his head, he addressed his paramour, "But why don't you just let Sui give you something to make you sleep peacefully and then you can sleep how you like?" he asked in what he had hoped was a reasonable tone.

"Because I don't have anything powerful enough to suppress all nightmares or at least something strong enough that won't mess him up," the good doctor said.

"And I'm deathly afraid I'll be dreaming about scary-Sui…" Jakotsu whimpered, leaving Bankotsu to wonder what went on between them.

"I see… then I have no other choice but to agree…"

"Now that's settled, you need to inhale this, Oo-Aniki," Suikotsu said as he held out the bowl of vile soup.

Bankotsu crinkled his nose up in disgust. "But I don't have a cough."

"It's also for preventing them."

Bankotsu looked at the steaming concoction. "Okay…" Reluctantly giving in, he asked, "How long do I have sit here and breathe this shit for?"

"Until it stops steaming."

He sighed. "That's what I was afraid of…"

Jakotsu smiled encouragingly. "It's good for you Aniki-chan! And the quicker you get better, the quicker we can be together…" He reached for his lover's hand, and taking it, he raised it to his lips and kissed it.

Suikotsu, catching Bankotsu's eye, nodded.

Bankotsu sighed. "Here's to a quick recovery, eh?" He took the bowl and sighed while Jakotsu and Suikotsu draped cotton fabric over his head, tenting it and the bowl.

"Jak, I think we should make preparations for sleeping. We've all had a rather traumatic day and the best thing for that is a good sleep."

"But I didn't have a traumatic day; I just had a scary one…" He looked at Suikotsu saucily. "But if you're that eager to hop in the futon with me…"

Suikotsu gave Jakotsu an 'I not in the mood for your antics right now, Jak…' look and it was enough to shut the cross-dresser up. "Come on, we need to go find some extra bedding."

"Oh! I know where some is!" Jakotsu chirped, happy to be of use to get back on Suikotsu's good side. Literally. "Follow me."

The doctor and the cross-dresser exited their leader's room and made their way down the hallway. Finally Jakotsu stopped in front of a room that did not have a number on the door; instead there were a couple of characters that read "storage."

Jakotsu was about to open the door so they could both go in and collect the extra bedding, when he realized allowing Suikotsu to enter the very closet where the he and the doctor's lover had had their liaison might not be such a good idea. It might trigger the scary side of Suikotsu, the side that wanted Jakotsu dead.

"You don't need to go in there, Sui, I'll get it. Just wait here." Jakotsu opened the door and quickly slipped inside.

"Are you sure you can carry a futon by yourself?" Suikotsu stepped toward the door.

Jakotsu poked his head back out, preventing the doctor from entering. "Yes, I'm not some delicate little flower of a woman, you know. So if you'll give me a minute, I'll go get one and if it'll make you feel better, Sui, you can carry it back to Aniki-chan's room while I carry the rest of the bedding."

"All right, but…"

Suikotsu was interrupted when Jakotsu slipped back in to the room and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Suikotsu standing out side looking quite confused.

It wasn't long before the door opened again and Jakotsu pushed a rolled up futon out. "Here," he said, shoving it toward the claw-bearer. Suikotsu shrugged and picked up the futon roll while Jakotsu went back inside the room to get the rest of the bedding.

The claw bearer sighed impatiently, though he did not want his violent side killing Jakotsu, he was still annoyed with the little cross-dresser over what happened, and even more so that Bankotsu had let him off so easy. Suddenly a small smile crept across Suikotsu's face as the idea for mean joke popped into his head.

"Jak," the doctor called out to his teammate in the closet.

"Yeah?" The cross-dresser came out his arms loaded with bedding.

"I just want to get one thing straight between us before I forget."

"Hm?"

"I want you to know that Scary violent Sui wanted me to tell you that if you ever sleep with Ren again, you're going to be wearing your intestines for a necklace," Suikotsu said very calmly but firmly.

Jakotsu's eyes went as wide as saucers. "He does?" the cross-dresser tittered nervously. "Tell him I said I'll never ever do that again not even if Aniki-chan orders me to! Okay...?"

"Well I'll tell him," Suikotsu shook his head in false nervousness. "But I can't make any guarantees."

"No...?" Jakotsu squeaked out, looking as though he might faint at any moment. "Well...ummm... yeah... ummm... hadn't we better get back to Aniki-chan? What if he needs us?"

"Yes we had better get back." The doctor nodded, and began walking back toward their leader's room.

"Good, how's the futon? Too heavy… I could help you?" Jakotsu asked nervously.

"I've got it. Ren is heavier than this," the doctor answered quietly.

"Yes he is…" Jakotsu murmured.

"How would you know?" Suikotsu stopped suddenly.

"I helped him into the storage room last night…" Jakotsu trailed off into silence as his mind screamed 'SHIT! I'm dead meat now…'

"So that's why you didn't want me to go in there," Suikotsu stood, not looking at Jakotsu, his voice growing a little darker. "That was the same storage room. Huh...suppose I didn't recognize it…"

"Ummm... Yeah…" Jakotsu tittered nervously. "Ummm... just kill me quickly... and wait until Aniki-chan is all better before you tell him... okay..." The cross-dresser's tittering quickly turned into panic.

Suikotsu stood silently for a moment, and then continued walking.

"Sui…?" Jakotsu squeaked out, terrified the scary Suikotsu might take hold and turn on him at any moment.

"Are your intestines hanging about your neck, Jakotsu?" Suikotsu glanced over his shoulder at his petrified teammate.

"N…No…" Jakotsu answered quietly, and he held his breath as he wondered what game this Suikotsu was trying to pull.

"Then Scary Sui is not going to kill you," the doctor answered simply.

Jakotsu let out the breath he had been holding in relief. "Thank Kami-sama…" He shifted the weight of the bedding in his arms and jogged to catch up to Suikotsu. "Come, before Aniki-chan thinks I dragged you off to the closet for a bit of fun…"

"Well we'd simply explain to him that there was no possible way that could have happened." Suikotsu looked back and smirked.

"Oh yeah, scary Sui…" Jakotsu giggled. "I've always wanted to ask, how many of them are there? Do you always talk to each other?"

"Three, When I am in control the other two are 'asleep' but they still send out vibes, on whether or not they like someone or something," the mentally fractured doctor answered.

"Oh... and Scary Sui hates me, hunh?" Jakotsu said dejectedly.

"Well he's sending out 'I don't like him' vibes but not 'attack and kill' vibes. So you're safe for now." Suikotsu grinned.

Surprisingly Jakotsu laughed. "That's good... right? But the others...they like me, right?"

"Well, my extreme good side is sending out both 'he's not so bad after all' vibes and 'I'm scared he's going jump me and rip my clothes off 'vibes." Suikotsu chuckled.

Jakotsu laughed even harder, and then a sly, flirtatious smile crossed his lips. "Oh... But while I promised I wouldn't touch you, Sui, I didn't say anything about what I was thinking…"

Suikotsu cast a glance up to the ceiling, and let out a small laugh, before looking down again. "Oh dear, I'm naked right now aren't I?"

"Huh?!" The seductive smile disappeared from Jakotsu's face and his eyes widened. "But you still have all your clothes on…"

Suikotsu chuckled. "I meant the mental picture of me in your mind."

Jakotsu's seductive smile returned. "What do you think?" he purred.

Suikotsu smirked and looked over his shoulder at his cross-dressing teammate. "I think your eyes just ripped my kimono off."

"Maybe…" Jakotsu's smile broadened. "But you're still wearing your hakama...Oh wait there it goes." He giggled.

"Huh, longer than I thought it would take…" Suikotsu smirked. "Well it's not the first time someone has undressed me with their eyes."

"Really?!" Jakotsu lit up at this little bawdy tidbit. "Who else has 'undressed' you?"

"None of your business," Suikotsu said in mock prudishness and tapped his pointer finger on Jakotsu's forehead for emphasis.

"Ooooh." Jakotsu pouted. "You're no fun…"

"That's not what he says…"

"Really…?"

"Yup…"

"He's lucky he gets to undress you for real…"

**Part Sixteen: The morning after…**

Bankotsu woke up shortly after dawn. The effects of the opium tea had worn off and he was in a lot of pain. The young leader of the Shichinintai tried shifting to a more comfortable position, but it did nothing to help ease the agony in his chest. "Sui…" he whispered, hoping to wake the claw-bearer rather than his paramour. "Sui…" he called out again, this time a little louder with the expected results.

"What's wrong, Oo-Aniki?" Suikotsu said groggily as he sat up.

"I need more of that tea…"

"Okay." Suikotsu got up from the futon and lit a candle on the far side of the room.

In the half light Bankotsu saw something that made him laugh despite the agonizing pain in his chest.

"Oo-Aniki?"

"He did again…"

"What?"

"Ren; he's there cuddled up with Jak."

"What?" Suikotsu turned and looked. Sure enough, sometime during the night, Renkotsu, worried about his would-be lover, had sleepwalked over and slipped quietly into the room. The only trouble was, instead of snuggling up with Suikotsu like he normally would have, he was spooned in behind Jakotsu, a fact his exhausted mind failed to notice. Not that Jakotsu noticed either as he had slept. How long the two were asleep like that was anyone's guess and Suikotsu was surprised their leader found it funny. But when he thought about it, the claw-bearer also saw the humor in it. He chuckled softly as he busied himself with preparing another cup of opium tea.

"I told you it was funny."

"Yes, but what'll be even funnier is when Jak wakes up and finds Ren there…"

Bankotsu tried holding back his laughter and failed miserably. "Don't make me laugh; it hurts…" he chuckled.

"I'm sorry, but I just remembered what I told him _he_ said last night."

Bankotsu smiled. "Okay, I'll bite. What did _he_ tell Jak?'

The claw-bearer chuckled. "I told him that, uh… Scary-Sui told me that if we ever caught him in the futon with Ren again, he'd be wearing his intestines as a necklace…"

Bankotsu looked from the claw-bearer to his sleeping comrades and back. Chuckling painfully, he said, "That's evil, Sui, but it'll do the trick, as he's going to die when he wakes up."

"I know… I didn't really mean it as I had the feeling Ren was going to show up…" Suikotsu said with a smile as he helped his leader sit up comfortably.

"But somehow you couldn't resist?"

"Yeah… you could say that," Suikotsu replied. He was glad Bankotsu was not angry over it but it did not lessen his embarrassment over what he felt to be pettiness. "Here… and thanks, Oo-Aniki, for not being angry with me."

"It's okay, Sui, after having a good night's sleep, I realized I let him off too easy." He smiled. "That was a good punishment by the way. And I hope they wake up before I fall back asleep…"

"It does take a while for it to take effect." Suikotsu finished preparing the tea and brought it over. "If you drink this all up without complaining, I'll go wake them."

"Yes, Haha-ue." Bankotsu took the proffered cup, and making a face, he quickly drank it down. "Yuck…" he said as he handed to the cup back.

"Good… now to see to my end of the bargain," Suikotsu said as Bankotsu mouthed "Don't make me laugh!"

The claw bearer took the cup and set it down on a nearby table before walking back over to the futon. "Wake up…" he said as he knelt and gave Jakotsu a gentle shake. "Wake up…Sweetness…" the claw-bearer said lovingly, using his leader's pet name for his paramour. "Wake up, Sweetness…"

Jakotsu sighed and rolled over in Renkotsu's arms. Coming nose to nose with the fire-breather, he kissed him, before saying, "I don't want to wake up, Dumpling, I want to stay here and dream some more about you…" When he didn't get the expected response from the sleeping Renkotsu, who Jakotsu thought was his beloved Bankotsu, he cracked open his eyes. "Dumpling…" Jakotsu kissed him again. "Wake up and let's have some fun. Dumpling…? He opened his eyes fully and when he saw it was Renkotsu instead of his beloved, he quickly backed away, screaming.

"What the fuck? Sui…?" Renkotsu bolted upright. "It's alright, I'm here…" He looked around for his frighten would-be lover and spotted him sitting with their leader, quietly laughing, while the source of the blood curdling screams sat a few feet in front of him. "Shut the hell up already, Jak! What the fuck is your problem. Oo-Aniki's alright, for Kami's sake, you asshole…" the fire-breather growled.

The hysterical cross-dresser looked at him wildly. "But Scary Sui said he'd gut me if he found me in bed with you again…"

Renkotsu shot his would-be lover a puzzled glance. "He did?"

"I did, but I was only having a bit of fun with you, Jak, as I knew Ren would show up sometime in the middle of night." The claw bearer got up and went over to the table where he had made the opium tea for Bankotsu and poured a cup for Jakotsu.

"I felt you still needed some punishment for what you did, Sweetness, and Sui helped me out," Bankotsu said softly, and his tone growing more serious, he said, "However, if you don't behave yourself where Ren is concerned, Sui has my permission to gut you… now calm yourself down before you get sick."

"Here," Suikotsu said, handing him the tea. "It'll steady your nerves as you had a bit of shock," he chuckled softly, "This morning."

"Thanks…" The cross-dresser gulped it down. "If you all don't mind, I think I want to lie down for a bit…"

"And Ren, this isn't free rein to harass Jak either, and if I find out you have, then when we get home and I'm feeling up to it, the first thing I'm going to do is take my Baby and have fun dismantling your workshop. I suspect we'll plenty of firewood by the time I'm done with it too. Understood?"

Renkotsu stared at Bankotsu open mouthed like a fish, before whispering in a voice lined with terror, "You wouldn't… Understood, sir."

"Good… now get the hell out of here as I'm tired and cranky and I want to sleep…" Bankotsu yawned. "And you stay put over there," he said to his paramour.

"But, Aniki-chan…."

"But nothing, last time you were sick and Sui made you some of that tea, you snored all night and kept me up."

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Come," Suikotsu said quietly to his would-be lover. "Let's go and leave the lovebirds alone."

"But aren't you afraid they're going to nookie if we leave? We'll only be back before we can even get halfway to our room…"

"No, because long before that happens they'll both be snoring peacefully." Suikotsu smiled.

"You sure? Oo-Aniki seems really wide awake this morning and I now know never to underestimate the lengths Jak'll go to when he wants some…" Renkotsu chuckled.

"From what I've seen, I don't doubt that. But in this instance, they should be starting feel very sleepy real soon. I'd give it a bit and then we can come back and move Jak if necessary."

"Yeah…"

They quietly slipped out of room, leaving their leader and his paramour to argue over whether or not said paramour ever snored.

The End.

000

_I hope you enjoyed this fic! Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews!_


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